The reactivity of alkenyl boron reagents in catalytic reactions: recent advances and perspectives

Although organic boron reagents have found broad applications in organic synthesis, the development of new methodologies using alkenyl boron reagents has lagged behind compared to the more commonly employed aryl-substituted variants. However, in the past five years, several innovative methods have been introduced that exploit the unique reactivity of alkenyl and boron moieties. These methods, utilizing readily available alkenyl boron substrates, enable the synthesis of highly functionalized alkenes or alkyl boron products under mild conditions. This review highlights the most recent advances, focusing on the novel reactivity of alkenyl boron reagents in polar or radical pathways within catalytic reactions, employing transition metal catalysis, organocatalysis, or photocatalysis.