Direct B-H Bond Activation Polymerization of Boron Clusters

Selective and efficient functionalization of boron clusters, particularly carboranes, at the boron vertices poses significant synthetic challenges due to the inherent inertness of B-H bonds and pronounced regioselectivity issues. While recent advances in B-H bond functionalization have attracted growing interest in boron cluster diversification in small molecular systems, the construction of boron cluster-based polymers through direct B-H bond activation polymerization remains unexplored. Here, we report an unprecedented Pd-catalyzed B-H bond activation polymerization of nido-carboranes with internal diynes, affording boron-site-substituted polymers featuring high molecular weights (M_w up to 103.8 kg/mol) and excellent yields (up to 99%). Owing to the dense incorporation of nido-carborane units along the backbone, the resulting polymers demonstrate excellent degradability under mild conditions. Using this versatile polymerization strategy, we constructed aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active polymers for bioimaging and boron delivery agents, showing evident neutron capture therapy efficacy against tumor cells. This work establishes a general and facile route to construct degradable, multifunctional boron cluster-based polymers, demonstrating their potential applications in materials and biomedicine.