The group publishes a Metal-free directed C-H bond activation and borylation on Nature. Congrats Lv !

ABSTRACT: Organoboron reagents are important synthetic intermediates that play a key role in the construction of natural products,pharmaceuticals, and organic materials. The discovery of simpler, milder and more efficient approaches to organoboronsopens a route to diverse substances. Here we show a general method of directed C–H activation for site-selective C–Hborylation of arenes and heteroarenes avoiding the use of metal catalysts. C7 and C4-borylated indoles are produced bya mild approach with broad functional group compatibility. The mechanism involves BBr₃ as both reagent and catalystand is established with DFT calculations. Downstream transformation of the formed boron species to natural productsand drug scaffolds highlights the potential utility of this strategy.