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Updated: Dec 14, 2025
Synthesis of a Borylated Ibuprofen Derivative Through Suzuki Cross-Coupling and Alkene Boracarboxylation Reactions
Published on: November 30, 2022
Boron-enabled geometric isomerization of alkenes via selective energy-transfer catalysis
John J Molloy1, Michael Schäfer2, Max Wienhold2
1Organisch-Chemisches Institut, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstraße 36, 48149 Münster, Germany. molloy@uni-muenster.de ryan.gilmour@uni-muenster.de.
Abstract:
Isomerization-based strategies to enable the stereodivergent construction of complex polyenes from geometrically defined alkene linchpins remain conspicuously underdeveloped. Mitigating the thermodynamic constraints inherent to isomerization is further frustrated by the considerations of atom efficiency in idealized low-molecular weight precursors. In this work, we report a general ambiphilic C3 scaffold that can be isomerized and bidirectionally extended. Predicated on highly efficient triplet energy transfer, the selective isomerization of β-borylacrylates is contingent on the participation of the boron p orbital in the substrate chromophore. Rotation of the C(sp2)-B bond by 90° in the product renders re-excitation inefficient and endows directionality. This subtle stereoelectronic gating mechanism enables the stereocontrolled syntheses of well-defined retinoic acid derivatives.
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