Monobromoborane - Dimethyl Sulfide—a Highly Promising Reagent for the Regio- and Chemoselective Brominative Cleavage of Terminal Epoxides into Vicinal Bromohydrins

Abstract

Monobromoborane–dimethyl sulfide (BH2Br–SMe2) is a highly regio- and chemoselective reagent useful for the brominative cleavage of the epoxy moiety into bromohydrins in the presence of alkenes, alkynes, ethers, acetals, ketals, and acetonides at 0°C, besides being an excellent hydroborating reagent. Several reactive functional groups, such as chloride, ketones, esters, nitriles, nitros, and thioethers, have been accommodated during such transformations. Although the reduction of acetophenone was completely suppressed at –25°C, 4-chlorobenzaldehyde still underwent 12–13% reduction of an aldehydic group.