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Updated: May 21, 2026
Synthesis of a Borylated Ibuprofen Derivative Through Suzuki Cross-Coupling and Alkene Boracarboxylation Reactions
Published on: November 30, 2022
Controlled homocatenation of boron on a transition metal
Holger Braunschweig1, Qing Ye, Alfredo Vargas
1Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany. h.braunschweig@uni-wuerzburg.de
Abstract:
Only a handful of elements are able to be controllably homocatenated (that is, to be formed into one- or two-dimensional chains or rings of the element), because most have weak element-element bonds. Boron forms strong B-B bonds, but its favourable cluster formation makes homocatenation very difficult. Recently, the coupling of borylene (:BR) ligands on a metal was predicted computationally. We have brought this prediction to fruition experimentally, and extended it by adding two further borylene units, stepwise forming a B(4) chain bound to a metal under mild conditions. This complex is a useful model for understanding the metal-boron interactions required to promote transition of the boron atoms from borylene ligands to oligoborane networks bound side-on. The concept shows great promise for the controlled construction of one-dimensional boron chains.
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