ortho-Directed electrophilic boronation of a benzyl ketone: the preparation, X-ray crystal structure, and some reactions of 4-ethyl-1-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxa-1-boranaphthalene

4-Ethyl-1-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxa-1-boranaphthalene (4) is formed in 78% yield from the reaction of 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-phenylbutan-1-one with an of excess boron tribromide in dichloromethane followed by treatment with water. Reaction of 4 with iodine in aqueous sodium hydroxide gives a second oxaboracycle, 3-ethyl-1-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)-2,1-benzoxaborolane (5). The X-ray crystal structure determinations of both boron heterocycles are reported. Other new compounds reported are 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(1-hydroxyphenyl)-butan-1-one (6), formed by reaction of 4 with alkaline hydrogen peroxide, and 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-biphenyl)-butan-1-one (8), formed by coupling of 4 with bromobenzene in the presence of Pd(PPh₃) ₄.