Uncovering the Potential of Boronic Acid and Derivatives as Radical Source in Photo(electro)chemical Reactions

Abstract The chemistry of boron compounds has been profoundly investigated in the last decades, leading to ubiquity in many synthetic applications as well as biologically active molecules. Since the advent of photoredox catalysis, an upsurge in the discovery of suitable radical precursors has been witnessed, and boron is becoming a protagonist in this field. Despite many studies focused on trifluoroborates, the use of boronic acids and esters have received much less attention in this regard. Because of their high oxidation potential, the development of methods to enable their involvement in photocatalyzed reactions is only recent. Nonetheless, this review summarizes novel strategies developed to unlock their role as radical precursors in photochemical reactions and discloses the potential that boronic acids and esters own, when their intrinsic chemical properties are exploited. magnified image