Construction of boron-stereogenic BODIPYs through organo-catalyzed enantioselective formal C(sp2)–O/O–H metathesis
)-O/O-H cross metathesis using alcohols as nucleophiles and boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes as a class of valuable substrates to validate this concept. A series of boron-stereogenic α,α-di-alkyloxyl/aryloxyl BODIPYs have been achieved in up to 97% yields with 99.8% ee. Notably, detailed mechanistic studies reveal the crucial roles of both nucleophile and leaving-group, suggesting that the reaction might proceed via a concerted nucleophilic aromatic substitution pathway. Computational studies further indicate potential interactions among the BODIPY substrate, nucleophile, and chiral catalyst through multiple hydrogen bonds, achieving excellent enantioselectivity via a proton-transfer process. Moreover, these chiral BODIPY derivatives exhibit promising photophysical properties, highlighting their potential as chiral fluorescent probes or optoelectronic materials.
Authors
- Yuefei Hu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0538-8492)
- J.-F. Zhang
- Zhongyuan Li
- Juan Ma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7489-9012)
- Luying Guo
- Shiqing Huang
- Erhong Hao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7234-4994)
Institutions
- Anhui Normal University (CN)
- Renmin University of China (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-05-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72860-4
- Primary Topic
- Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Anhui Normal University
- Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province