Ligand-Controlled Stereodivergent Cobalt-Catalyzed Hydroboration of 2,3-Disubstituted 1,3-Dienes to Access E - and Z -Tetrasubstituted Alkenes

Abstract Stereodivergent synthesis to access multiple isomers of polysubstituted alkenes represents an elegant strategy. While significant progress has been made in accessing di- and trisubstituted alkenes, the stereodivergent synthesis of both Z and E isomers of tetrasubstituted alkenes remains limited. Here, we disclose cobalt-catalyzed stereodivergent hydroborations of 2,3-disubstituted dienes, delivering both Z and E isomers of tetrasubstituted alkenes. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggested that a Co–H species may be involved in the Z selectivity, while the E selectivity originates from an oxidative migration process.