We report herein a strategy to convert 1,1-bisborylalkanes into 1,2-bisborylalkanes through iron ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) photocatalysis. Under the optimized conditions, 1,1-bisborylalkanes undergo hydrogen atom abstraction to generate an initial radical intermediate. Subsequent radical-induced 1,2-boryl group migration furnishes an open-shell species that is more stable thermodynamically. The resulting carbon-centered radical can be intercepted by electron-deficient alkenes, affording a range of synthetically useful 1,2-bisborylalkanes.
Zhang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.