Photoelectrochemically driven iron-catalysed C(sp3)−H borylation of alkanes

Abstract

The development of strategies to access boronate esters from ubiquitous aliphatic C−H bonds is of long-standing interest in the synthesis community. Here photoelectrochemically driven C(sp3)−H borylation of alkanes is developed, in which iron, an abundant earth-based resource, is employed as a photoelectrochemical catalyst. Using this protocol, direct borylation of strong alkyl C−H bonds is efficiently achieved at a low oxidation potential of ∼0.3 V and mild conditions. A wide range of structurally diverse alkyl boronic esters, including versatile α-silyl boronic esters, can be accessed with good regioselectivity. The development of strategies to access boronate esters from ubiquitous aliphatic C−H bonds is of long-standing interest in the synthesis community. Now a photoelectrochemically driven C(sp3)−H borylation reaction of alkanes is developed, in which iron, an abundant earth-based resource, is employed as a photoelectrochemical catalyst.