Thexylalkoxyborane as Hydroborating Agent for Alkenes and Alkynes

In order to elucidate the effect of alkoxy substituent in thexylborane and hence establish their usefulness as hydroborating agent, reactions of alkenes and alkynes with thexylalkoxyborane (ThxBHOR; R=Et, i-Pr, i-Bu, sec-Bu, t-Bu, Ph) were investigated in detail. The reagents readily hydroborated alkenes and alkynes of various structural types at 25 ℃ in excellent regioselectivity. The selectivity increases consistently with increasing steric size of alkoxy substituent. Especially, the selectivity achieved by the sec-butoxy derivative is comparable to that previously achieved by thexylhaloborane-methyl sulfide (ThxBHX·SMe2), the most selective hydroborating agent known.