Metal‐Free Hydrogen Atom Transfer from Water: Expeditious Hydrogenation of N‐Heterocycles Mediated by Diboronic Acid

Abstract

A hydrogenation of N-heterocycles mediated by diboronic acid with water as the hydrogen atom source is reported. A variety of N-heterocycles can be hydrogenated with medium to excellent yields within 10 min. Complete deuterium incorporation from stoichiometric D₂ O onto substrates further exemplifies the H/D atom sources. Mechanism studies reveal that the reduction proceeds with initial 1,2-addition, in which diboronic acid synergistically activates substrates and water via a six-membered ring transition state.