Synlett 2004(14): 2639-2641  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-835645
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Alkene-Pinacolborane Hydroborations Catalyzed by Lanthanum Tris[bis(trimethylsilyl)amide]

Yoshikazu Horino, Tom Livinghouse*, Magdalena Stan
Department of Chemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
e-Mail: livinghouse@chemistry.montana.edu;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 13 February 2004
Publication Date:
10 November 2004 (online)

Abstract

Tris[bis(trimethylsilyl)amide] has been shown to be an effective catalyst for the hydroboration of representative alkenes and styrenes by pinacolborane.

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1H NMR revealed >99% conversion of 3a to the corresponding boronic pinacolate.

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A General procedure for alkene hydroborations is as follows: In an argon-filled glove box, La[N(TMS)2]3 (1a, 18.6 mg, 0.03 mmol) and C6D6 (1.0 mL) were introduced into a J. Young NMR tube equipped with teflon screw cap and then pinacolborane (2, 256 mg, 2.0 mmol) and the appropriate alkene (1.0 mmol) were added by micro syringe. The homogeneous reaction mixture was maintained at 90 °C or 120 °C, respectively, using an oil bath until the hydroboration reaction was judged complete by the disappearance of the appropriate olefinic resonances in the 1H NMR spectrum. The resulting solution was transferred to a 25 mL round-bottomed flask and was cooled to 0 °C with stirring whereupon 1:1 = THF:EtOH (6 mL), 2 N NaOH (3 mL) and 30% H2O2 (3 mL) were added. The reaction mixture was allowed to warm to r.t. and was stirred for 9 h. It was then extracted with Et2O (3 × 10 mL) and the combined organic phases were dried over MgSO4. After removal of the solvents in vacuo, the crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (5% EtOAc-hexane for elution) to provide the corresponding alcohol as a colorless oil.

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An analogous catalytic cycle has been proposed in connection with the hydroboration of alkenes by catecholborane (4) catalyzed by permethyllanthanocene complexes. [3a]

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