Much of the recent work on catalytic hydroboration of alkenes has focused on simple alkenes and styrene derivatives with few examples of reactions of 1,3-dienes, which have been reported to undergo mostly 1,4-additions to give allylic boronates. We find that reduced cobalt catalysts generated from 1,n-bis-diphenylphosphinoalkane complexes [Ph 2 P-(CH 2) n-PPh 2 ]CoX 2 ; n = 1~5) or from (2-oxazolinyl)phenyldiarylphosphine complexes [(G-PHOX)CoX 2 ] effect selective 1,2-, 1,4-, or 4,3-additions of pinacolborane (HBPin) to a variety of 1,3-dienes depending on the ligands chosen. Conditions have been found to optimize the 1,2-additions. The reactive catalysts can be generated from the cobalt (II)-complexes using trimethylaluminum, methyl aluminoxane or activated zinc in the presence of sodium tetrakis[(3,5-trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaBARF). The complex, (dppp)CoCl 2 , gives the best results (ratio of 1,2-to 1,4-addition >95:5) for a variety of linear terminal 1,3-dienes and 2-substituted 1,3-dienes. The [(PHOX)CoX 2 ] (X = Cl, Br) complexes give mostly 1,4-addition with linear unsubstituted 1,3-dienes, but, surprisingly selective 1,2-additions with 2-substituted or 2,3-disubstituted 1,3-dienes. Isolated and fully characterized (X-ray crystallography) Co(I)-complexes, (dppp) 3 Co 2 Cl 2 and [(S,S)-BDPP] 3 Co 2 Cl 2 , do not catalyze the reaction unless activated by a Lewis acid or NaBARF, suggesting a key role for a cationic Co(I) species in the catalytic cycle. Regio-and enantioselective 1,2-hydroborations of 2substituted 1,3-dienes are best accomplished using a catalyst prepared via activation of a chiral phosphinooxazoline-cobalt(II) complex with zinc and NaBARF. A number of common functional groups, among them,-OBn,-OTBS,-OTs, N-phthalimidogroups, are tolerated and er's >95:5