Trivalent boron nucleophile as a new tool in organic synthesis: reactivity and asymmetric induction.

Boron compounds have been traditionally regarded as "Lewis acids" preferring to accept electrons rather than donate them in the course of their reactions but current examples of unusual reactivity between tricoordinated boranes and electrophilic sites suggest a new conceptual context for the boryl moieties, based on their nucleophilic character which can be enhanced depending on the substituents on boron. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012