The influence of phenylboronic acid on the silylation of D-mannitol by TBDMSCl and TBDPSCl has been investigated. Terminal silyation was found to dominate, with PBA significantly enhancing the yield of 1,6 di-TBDMS D-mannitol compared to the control. The intermediate 1,6-disilyl bis(phenylboronates) showed unusually high stability, such that oxidative conditions were required to cleave the boronate esters. X-ray crystal structures of both bis(phenylboronates) were determined, revealing both diboronate esters to exist as two fused six-membered rings. The results of 11 B NMR experiments suggest that these structures also predominate in solution, whereas the # Current address: bis(phenylboronate) ester of D-mannitol itself exists as a mixture of five-membered and six-membered cyclic boronates.