Synthesis and transformation of organoboronates and stannanes by pincer-complex catalysts.

Palladium pincer-complexes readily catalyze the formation of allylstannanes, allenylstannanes/silanes and allylboronates from easily available allylic and propargylic substrates and dimetallic reagents. The catalytic activity and selectivity of the pincer-complexes can efficiently be fine-tuned by changing the heteroatoms in the side arms. Pincer-complexes with nitrogen, sulfur and selenium atoms in the side arms are very efficient for creating C-Sn, C-Si and C-B bonds, while phosphorus based complexes can be employed for catalytic cleavage of C-Sn and C-B bonds. Most of the catalytic metallation (stannylation and borylation) processes can easily be combined with other reactions, and thus one-pot procedures can be designed for the synthesis of homoallylic alcohols, homoallylic amines and alpha-amino acids from simple precursors.