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Chemistry LibreTexts

Hydroboration-Oxidation

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Alkenes do not undergo hydration upon treatment with water even at very high temperatures. There are two approaches to hydrating alkenes:

  1. Reaction of the alkene with water in the presence of a strong-acid catalyst.
  2. Using an indirect method

Hydroboration-oxidation, sometimes casually called hydroboration for convenience, is a common indirect method used to hydrate alkenes.

hydroborationoxidaiton1.png

net reaction:

hydroborationoxidaiton2.png

The protocol is carried out in two stages:

Stage 1: Hydroboration

The alkene is treated with a source of borane ( diborane or borane-THF complex), which converts the alkene into a trialkylborane.

Stage 2: Oxidation

The trialkylborane is treated with H2O2 and a strong base, usually NaOH, in aqueous medium, which converts the trialkylborane into an alcohol.

eg:
Stage 1:

hydroborationoxidation3.png

This reaction is an anti-Markovnikov addition and a syn addition.

Stage 2:

hydroborationoxidation4.png

Stage 1 + Stage 2 =

hydroborationoxidation5.png

The net reaction is an anti-Markovnikov addition:

hydroborationoxidation6.png

see also oxymercuration-reduction


This page titled Hydroboration-Oxidation is shared under a All Rights Reserved (used with permission) license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Gamini Gunawardena via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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