O₂ -Mediated Oxidation of Aminoboranes through 1,2-N Migration

In analogy to the classical reaction of C-B bonds with peroxides, the first oxidative functionalization of aminoboranes through a 1,2-N migration was realized. Readily available aliphatic nitro compounds are thereby transformed into N- and O-functionalized hydroxylamines in a single synthetic operation. Addition of hazardous peroxides is avoided. Instead, the insertion of O₂ , as the terminal oxidant, into Zn-C bonds provides the necessary peroxides. The required zinc organyls, in turn, are formed through a boron-to-zinc exchange, from an organoboronic ester byproduct of the nitro-to-aminoborane transformation.