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Emergent Organoboron Acid Catalysts
Brian J Graham1, Ronald T Raines1
1Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Abstract:
Organoboron acids are stable, organic-soluble Lewis acids with potential application as catalysts for a wide variety of chemical reactions. In this review, we summarize the utility of boronic and borinic acids, as well as boric acid, as catalysts for organic transformations. Typically, the catalytic processes exploit the Lewis acidity of trivalent boron, enabling the reversible formation of a covalent bond with oxygen. Our focus is on recent developments in the catalysis of dehydration, carbonyl condensation, acylation, alkylation, and cycloaddition reactions. We conclude that organoboron acids have a highly favorable prospectus as the source of new catalysts.
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