We report an asymmetric synthesis of enantioenriched gem-bis(boryl)alkanes in an enantioselective diborylation of 1,1-disubstituted alkenes catalyzed by Co(acac)2 /(R)-DM-segphos. A range of activated and unactivated alkenes underwent this asymmetric diborylation in the presence of cyclooctene as a hydrogen acceptor, affording the corresponding gem-bis(boryl)alkanes with high enantioselectivity. The synthetic utility of these chiral organoboronate compounds was demonstrated through several stereospecific derivatizations and the synthesis of sesquiterpene and sesquiterpenoid natural products.

Multisubstituted olefins are fundamental motifs in organic compounds. In this account, we describe the synthesis of organic molecules bearing an olefinic moiety by the transition-metal-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective addition of a variety of interelement compounds to alkynes. Regio- and stereoselective silaboration, diborylation, and chlorothiolation have been achieved by using the transition-metal catalysts. The subsequent cross-coupling reactions of the boron-containing alkenes to install various aryl groups afforded the corresponding tri- and tetraarylated olefins. This account describes our research on the highly regio- and stereoselective synthesis of multifunctionalized olefins such as tetraarylethenes with four different aryl groups.