Catalytic, Regiospecific End-Functionalization of Alkanes: Rhenium-Catalyzed Borylation under Photochemical Conditions

Abstract

Approaching a Holy Grail? A regioselective functionalization of alkanes occurs with commercially available rhenium catalysts and borane reagents under photochemical conditions [Eq. (1)]. Mechanistic studies indicate that the regioselectivity results from a direct thermal reaction of a photochemically generated 16-electron boryl complex with alkane.