Cobalt-catalysed Markovnikov selective hydroboration of vinylarenes

Abstract

A bipyridiyl-oxazoline cobalt catalyst ^{^tBu}BPOCoCl₂ has been developed for the Markovnikov selective hydroboration of alkenes using pinacolborane and NaO^tBu as the in situ activator with up to >98 : 2 branched : linear selectivity (24 examples, 45-92% isolated yield).