Regioselective Multiboration and Hydroboration of Alkenes and Alkynes Enabled by a Platinum Single-Atom Catalyst
Paweł Huninik1,2, Priti Sharma3,4, Vitthal B Saptal1
1Center for Advanced Technologies, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 10, Poznań 61-614, Poland.
Abstract:
Selective multiboration including di- and triboration and hydroboration of alkynes and alkenes face significant challenges in organic synthesis, including achieving high regioselectivity, functional group tolerance, and catalyst stability while requiring mild conditions to maintain reactivity. These transformations have been predominantly explored by using homogeneous catalysts. In this study, we report the scalable synthesis of heterogeneous platinum single-atom catalyst (Pt-SAC) supported on ultrathin nanosheets of graphitic carbon nitride via a rapid microwave-assisted method. The Pt-SAC enables 1,2-diboration of sterically hindered alkenes and 1,2,2-triboration of alkynes with B2pin2 under mild conditions. For the diboration of styrene, the catalyst achieves 99% yield with 95% selectivity, a turnover number (TON) of 3711, and a turnover frequency (TOF) of 247 h-1. The catalyst also promotes the regioselective hydroboration of alkenes and alkynes, yielding anti-Markovnikov alkylboranes and vinylboranes, respectively. Computational calculations reveal that the enhanced reactivity on the Pt-SAC catalyst arises from adsorption-induced weakening of key bonds (C=C and B-H), thereby significantly lowering the activation energy barriers. The Pt-SAC exhibits stability and recyclability, maintaining performance over at least eight consecutive runs without detectable Pt leaching. This study highlights the potential of Pt-SAC as a robust and versatile platform for organoboron transformations under mild conditions, with relevance to applications in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and polymer synthesis.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Hydroboration
Hydroboration proceeds in a concerted fashion with the attack of borane on the π bond, giving a cyclic four-centered transition state. The –BH2 group is bonded to the less substituted carbon and –H to the more substituted carbon. The concerted nature requires the simultaneous addition of –H and –BH2 across the same face of the alkene giving syn stereochemistry.
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
Alkynes to Aldehydes and Ketones: Hydroboration-Oxidation
One of the convenient methods for the preparation of aldehydes and ketones is via hydration of alkynes. Hydroboration-oxidation of alkynes is an indirect hydration reaction in which an alkyne is treated with borane followed by oxidation with alkaline peroxide to form an enol that rapidly converts into an aldehyde or a ketone. Terminal alkynes form aldehydes, whereas internal alkynes give ketones as the final product.
Hydroboration-Oxidation of Alkenes


