Boron synthesis

J. Kohn. Boron (Synthesis, Structure, and Properties), Proceedings of the Conference on Boron, J. Kohn, W. Nye, G. Gaule (eds.). Plenum Press, New York, 1960, p. 75. 

Yoo C S, Akella J, Nicol M and Cynn H 1997 Direct elementary synthesis of hexagonal and cubic boron nitrides at high pressures and temperatures Phys. Rev. B 56 140... 

Asymmetric Reduction of Unsymmetrical Ketones Using Chiral Boron Reagents Review Synthesis 1992, 605. 

Boron Enolates Comprehensive Organic Synthesis 1991, 2, 239. Organic Reactions 1995, 46, 1 ... 

Ketone Synthesis. In the Friedel-Crafts ketone synthesis, an acyl group is iatroduced iato the aromatic nucleus by an acylating agent such as an acyl haUde, acid anhydride, ester, or the acid itself. Ketenes, amides, and nittiles also may be used aluminum chloride and boron ttitiuotide are the most common catalysts (see Ketones). 

Hafnium Boride. Hafnium diboride [12007-23-7] HfB2, is a gray crystalline soHd. It is usually prepared by the reaction of hafnium oxide with carbon and either boron oxide or boron carbide, but it can also be prepared from mixtures of hafnium tetrachloride, boron trichloride, and hydrogen above 2000°C, or by direct synthesis from the elements. Hafnium diboride is attacked by hydrofluoric acid but is resistant to nearly all other reagents at room temperature. Hafnium dodecaboride [32342-52-2] has been prepared by direct synthesis from the elements (56). 

AHylestrenol (37) is prepared from (32), an intermediate in the synthesis of norethindrone. Treatment of (32) with ethanedithiol and catalytic boron trifluoride provides a thioketal. Reduction with sodium in Hquid ammonia results in the desired reductive elimination of the thioketal along with reduction of the 17-keto group. Oxidation of this alcohol with chromic acid in acetone followed by addition of aHyl magnesium bromide, completes the synthesis... 

An alternative synthesis of (Z)-l-halo-l-alkenes involves hydroboration of 1-halo-l-alkynes, followed by protonolysis (246,247). Disubstituted ( )-and (Z)-a1keny1 bromides can be prepared from ( )- and (Z)-a1keny1 boronic esters, respectively, by treatment with bromine followed by base (248). 

Aldehydes aie conveniendy synthetized by the reaction of boronic esters with dichloromethylhthium or (phenylthio)methoxymethylhthium (336,337). The synthesis of medium-ting boracyclane stmctures by stepwise ring enlargement is based on the reaction of B-methoxyboracycles with chloromethylhthium (338). 

Synthesis of OC- and P-Ghiral Ketones, Esters, and Nitriles. Chiral boronic esters are convenient precursors of a-chiral ketones (R COR ), which can be prepared via the dialkylborinic ester or dialkylthexyl route (524,525). 

With the improvement of refining and purification techniques, many pure olefinic monomers are available for polymerization. Under Lewis acid polymerization, such as with boron trifluoride, very light colored resins are routinely produced. These resins are based on monomers such as styrene, a-methylstryene, and vinyltoluene (mixed meta- and i ra-methylstyrene). More recently, purified i ra-methylstyrene has become commercially available and is used in resin synthesis. Low molecular weight thermoplastic resins produced from pure styrene have been available since the mid-1940s resins obtained from substituted styrenes are more recent. 

Friedel-Crafts (Lewis) acids have been shown to be much more effective in the initiation of cationic polymerization when in the presence of a cocatalyst such as water, alkyl haUdes, and protic acids. Virtually all feedstocks used in the synthesis of hydrocarbon resins contain at least traces of water, which serves as a cocatalyst. The accepted mechanism for the activation of boron trifluoride in the presence of water is shown in equation 1 (10). Other Lewis acids are activated by similar mechanisms. In a more general sense, water may be replaced by any appropriate electron-donating species (eg, ether, alcohol, alkyl haUde) to generate a cationic intermediate and a Lewis acid complex counterion. 

Catalysts used in the polymerization of C-5 diolefins and olefins, and monovinyl aromatic monomers, foUow closely with the systems used in the synthesis of aHphatic resins. Typical catalyst systems are AlCl, AIBr., AlCl —HCl—o-xylene complexes and sludges obtained from the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene. Boron trifluoride and its complexes, as weU as TiCl and SnCl, have been found to result in lower yields and higher oligomer content in C-5 and aromatic modified C-5 polymerizations. 

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