An efficient strategy for the para-selective borylation of aromatic esters is described. For achieving high para-selectivity, a new catalytic system has been developed modifying the core structure of the bipyridine. It has been proposed that the L-shaped ligand is essential to recognize the functionality of the oxygen atom of the ester carbonyl group via noncovalent interaction, which provides an unprecedented controlling factor for para-selective C-H activation/borylation.

Transition metal-catalysed direct borylation of hydrocarbons via C–H bond activation has received a remarkable level of attention as a popular reaction in the synthesis of organoboron compounds owing to their synthetic versatility.

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