We report the first copper-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective borylalkylation of dialkylsubstituted internal alkynes with bis(pinacolato)diboron and alkyl halides. A catalytically generated borylcopper species containing a novel π-accepting N-heterocyclic carbene ligand chemoselectively reacted with unactivated internal alkynes over alkyl halides. The intermediate alkenylcopper species subsequently reacted with alkyl halides, affording the desired products. The copper catalyst differentiated steric demands between the two aliphatic substituents on the C≡C triple bond of the alkyne substrates to exhibit high regioselectivity from a wide range of alkyne/alkyl halide combinations. This method is useful for the straightforward synthesis of trialkylsubstituted alkenylboronates, i.e., versatile precursors for tetrasubstituted alkenes containing three or four different alkylsubstituents, which are difficult to synthesize by other methods.

The first regiodivergent oxyboration of unactivated terminal alkenes is reported, using copper alkoxide as a catalyst, bis(pinacolato)diboron [(Bpin)2 ] as a boron source, and (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO) as an oxygen source. The reaction is compatible with various functional groups. Two regioisomers are selectively produced by selecting the appropriate ligands on copper. The products may be used as a linchpin precursor for various other functionalizations, and net processes such as carbooxygenation, aminooxygenation, and dioxygenation of alkenes can be achieved after C-B bond transformations. Mechanistic studies indicate that the reaction involves the following steps: 1) Transmetalation between CuOtBu and (Bpin)2 to generate a borylcopper species; 2) regiodivergent borylcupration of alkenes; 3) oxidation of the thus-generated C-Cu bond to give an alkyl radical; 4) trapping of the resulting alkyl radical by TEMPO.

We report copper(I)-catalyzed enantio- and diastereodivergent borylative coupling of styrenes and imines to produce enantiomerically-enriched α,β-dibranched γ-boryl amine derivatives. Each of the four possible stereoisomers of the products, derived from the two contiguous stereocenters, was selectively accessible by choosing a proper chiral ligand for the copper catalyst. This method, which combines catalyst-controlled stereodivergency and constitutional divergency derived from the lynchpin motif (i.e., the C-B bond), offers a strategy for addressing the construction of molecular structural diversity concomitant with precise chirality control.

A copper(II)-catalyzed intermolecular three-component oxyarylation of allenes using arylboronic acids as a carbon source and TEMPO as an oxygen source is described. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions with high regio- and stereoselectivity and functional group tolerance. A plausible reaction mechanism is proposed, involving carbocupration of allenes, homolysis of the intervening allylcopper(II), and a radical TEMPO trap.

A catalytic enantioselective proton migration of skipped enynes to allenes is developed. A newly identified chiral ferrocenyl phosphine ligand plays critical roles in controlling both regio-and enantioselectivity. The method offers a new concept to convert readily available and abundant feedstock hydrocarbons into high-value-added molecules by reconstituting C-H bond connectivity without relying on polar functional groups.