Transition-metal-carbene-like intermolecular insertion of a borylene into C–H bonds

Abstract

We demonstrate that, in analogy to transition-metal carbene chemistry, [(OC)₅MoBN(SiMe₃)₂] facilitates intermolecular transfer of the borylene [:BN(SiMe₃)₂], which ultimately undergoes insertion into C–H bonds under very mild conditions. The one-pot multiple functionalization of the cyclopentadienyl rings of tungstenocene dihydride is demonstrated using this approach.