Grignard reagents (aliphatic, aromatic, heteroaromatic, vinyl, or allylic) react with 1 equiv of 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane (pinacolborane, PinBH) at ambient temperature in tetrahydrofuran (THF) to afford the corresponding pinacolboronates. The initially formed dialkoxy alkylborohydride intermediate quickly eliminates hydridomagnesium bromide (HMgBr) and affords the product boronic ester in very good yield. Hydridomagnesium bromide (HMgBr) in turn disproportionates to a 1:1 mixture of magnesium hydride (MgH(2)) and magnesium bromide (MgBr(2)) on addition of pentane to the reaction mixture. DFT calculations (Gaussian09) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory show that disproportionation of HMgBr to MgH(2) and MgBr(2) is viable in the coordinating ethereal solvents. This reaction also can be carried out under Barbier conditions, where the neat PinBH is added to the flask prior to the in situ formation of Grignard reagent from the corresponding organic halide and magnesium metal. Pinacolboronic ester synthesis under Barbier conditions does not give Wurtz coupling side products from reactive halides, such as benzylic and allylic halides. The reaction between PinBH and various Grignard reagents is an efficient, mild, and general method for the synthesis of pinacolboronates.

The binary hydride, diisobutylaluminum borohydride [(iBu)2AlBH4], synthesized from diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL) and borane dimethyl sulfide (BMS) has shown great potential in reducing a variety of organic functional groups. This unique binary hydride, (iBu)2AlBH4, is readily synthesized, versatile, and simple to use. Aldehydes, ketones, esters, and epoxides are reduced very fast to the corresponding alcohols in essentially quantitative yields. This binary hydride can reduce tertiary amides rapidly to the corresponding amines at 25 °C in an efficient manner. Furthermore, nitriles are converted into the corresponding amines in essentially quantitative yields. These reactions occur under ambient conditions and are completed in an hour or less. The reduction products are isolated through a simple acid–base extraction and without the use of column chromatography. Further investigation showed that (iBu)2AlBH4 has the potential to be a selective hydride donor as shown through a series of competitive reactions. Similarities and differences between (iBu)2AlBH4, DIBAL, and BMS are discussed.

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Selective, partial, or tandem reductions of bifunctional organic halides is reported.

Dedicated to Professor Keith Smith on the occasion of his 65th anniversary AbstractMethods for the in situ generation of dichloroindium hydride (HInCl 2 ) via the reduction of InCl 3 with various reducing agents, such as tributyltin hydride (tributylstannane; Bu 3 SnH), diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H), triethylsilane (Et 3 SiH), lithium aminoborohydride (LAB), and sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ), in various solvents are reviewed and compared. The use of the InCl 3 /NaBH 4 system in addition to forming HInCl 2 , also generated borane that was trapped as BH 3 -tetrahydrofuran (THF). Carefully controlling the activity of these reducing agents allows for the selective and/or partial reduction of multi-functionalized compounds containing nitriles and halogens.