Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Silylation and Borylation of C–H Bonds for the Synthesis and Functionalization of Complex Molecules

The functionalization of C–H bonds in organic molecules containing functional groups has been one of the holy grails of catalysis. One synthetically important approach to the diverse functionalization of C–H bonds is the catalytic silylation or borylation of C–H bonds, which enables a broad array of downstream transformations to afford diverse structures. Advances in both undirected and directed methods for the transition-metal-catalyzed silylation and borylation of C–H bonds have led to their rapid adoption in early-, mid-, and late-stage of the synthesis of complex molecules. In this Review, we review the application of the transition-metal-catalyzed silylation and borylation of C–H bonds to the synthesis of bioactive molecules, organic materials, and ligands. Overall, we aim to provide a picture of the state of art of the silylation and borylation of C–H bonds as applied to the synthesis and modification of diverse architectures that will spur further application and development of these reactions.