beta-Borylallylsilanes as a new tool for convenient synthesis of alkenylboranes

The elemental makeup of a compound defines its chemical identity, and chemical formulas are the most concise way of representing this elemental makeup. When a compound’s formula is unknown, measuring the mass of its constituent elements is often the first step in determining the formula experimentally.

Compounds bearing two hydroxyl groups are known as diols. When the hydroxyl groups are located on adjacent carbon atoms, the diols are called vicinal diols or glycols. Under acidic conditions, vicinal diols undergo a specific reaction called pinacol rearrangement.
The reaction begins with transferring a proton from the acid catalyst to one of the hydroxyl groups, producing an oxonium ion.

As depicted in Figure 1, base-catalyzed aldol addition involves adding two carbonyl compounds in aqueous sodium hydroxide to form a β-hydroxy carbonyl compound.

Crossed Claisen condensations are base-promoted reactions between two different ester molecules producing β-dicarbonyl compounds. The reaction involving esters, with both containing α hydrogen, results in a mixture of four different products that are difficult to isolate. This reduces the synthetic utility of the reaction.

Aldol condensation is an important route in synthetic organic chemistry used to generate a new carbon–carbon bond under basic or acidic conditions. The aldol condensation reaction presented in Figure 1 constitutes an aldol addition reaction followed by the dehydration process.