Advances in transition metal catalyzed selective B H functionalization of o-carboranes

Carboranes are a class of carbon-boron molecular clusters, possessing extraordinary characteristics including three-dimensional aromaticity conjugated by σ-bonds, icosahedral geometry and inherent robustness. They are finding a variety of applications in medicine, materials and coordination/organometallic chemistry, and more. Thus, selective functionalization of o-carboranes has attracted enormous research interests, particularly in regio- and enantio-selective cage BH derivatization among ten chemically similar BH vertices in o-carboranes. In recent years, significant progress has been made in catalytic vertex-specific BH functionalization. This review summarizes recent advances in this research realm.