Zirconium-Catalyzed Atom-Economical Synthesis of 1,1-Diborylalkanes from Terminal and Internal Alkenes

A general and atom-economical synthesis of 1,1-diborylalkanes from alkenes and a borane without the need for an additional H₂ acceptor is reported for the first time. The key to our success is the use of an earth-abundant zirconium-based catalyst, which allows a balance of self-contradictory reactivities (dehydrogenative boration and hydroboration) to be achieved. Our method avoids using an excess amount of another alkene as an H₂ acceptor, which was required in other reported systems. Furthermore, substrates such as simple long-chain aliphatic alkenes that did not react before also underwent 1,1-diboration in our system. Significantly, the unprecedented 1,1-diboration of internal alkenes enabled the preparation of 1,1-diborylalkanes.