Arylphosphonate-Directed Ortho C–H Borylation: Rapid Entry into Highly-Substituted Phosphoarenes

Phosphonate-directed ortho C–H borylation of aromatic phosphonates is reported. Using simple starting materials and commercially accessible catalysts, this method provides steady access to o-phosphonate arylboronic esters bearing pendant functionality and flexible substitution patterns. These products serve as flexible precursors for a variety of highly substituted phosphoarenes, and in situ downstream functionalization of the products is described.