Zinc catalysed C3-H borylation of indoles and 1,1-diboration of terminal alkynes.

A low catalyst loading Zn(OTf)2-catalysed C3-H borylation of indoles with pinacolborane was developed. This transformation represents the use of an abundant, cheap and environmentally benign zinc catalyst in catalytic direct aromatic C-H borylation and offers a simple and prompt route towards the synthesis of C3-borylated indoles. The 1,1-diboration of terminal alkynes was also achieved using the same catalytic system to produce 1,1-diborylated alkenes.