Abstract: Improved processes for liberating boronic, RB(OR').sub.2, and borinic, RR'BOR', esters from their "ate" complexes, free of alcohol are provided. Pyrolysis of lithium organylborates LiRB(OR').sub.3 and LiRR'BOR', wherein R is an organyl group and R' is straight or branched-chain lower alkyl, directly yields the relatively volatile boronic and borinic esters in high purity, leaving behind a residue of lithium alkoxide. Treatment of the lithium organylborates with an appropriate acid halide cleanly liberates either volatile or non-volatile boronic or borinic esters, readily separated from the lower alkyl ester produced as a by-product. The novel compound lithium dimethylborohydride is also provided.

Abstract: Improved processes for liberating boronic, RB(OR').sub.2, and borinic, RR'BOR', esters from their "ate" complexes, free of alcohol are provided. Pyrolysis of lithium organylborates LiRB(OR').sub.3 and LiRR'BOR', wherein R is an organyl group and R' is straight or branched-chain lower alkyl, directly yields the relatively volatile boronic and borinic esters in high purity, leaving behind a residue of lithium alkoxide. Treatment of the lithium organylborates with an appropriate acid halide cleanly liberates either volatile or non-volatile boronic or borinic esters, readily separated from the lower alkyl ester produced as a by-product. The novel compound lithium dimethylborohydride is also provided.

Abstract: A process for producing the optically pure (+)- or (-) isomer of a phenyl- or substituted- phenylalkanolamine compounds having pharmacologic activity without the need for resoltuion processes ad novel intermediates useful in the process including optically pure haloalcohols are provided.

Abstract: A process for synthesizing an optically pure ketone comprising the steps of: treating an appropriate optically pure boronic ester with an organolithium compound at -78.degree. C. to obtain the "ate" complex, separating the optically pure borinic ester from the complex and converting said borinic ester into an optically pure ketone represented by the formulae:R*COR.sup.1 and R*COC.tbd.CR.sup.1wherein R* is a chiral organyl moiety and R.sup.1 is an achiral organyl moeity.

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active alcohols by reducing ketones using mono- or diisopinocampheylhaloboranes as reducing agents.

Abstract: Improved processes for liberating boronic, RB(OR').sub.2' and borinic, RR'BOR', esters from their "ate" complexes, free of alcohol are provided. Pyrolysis of lithium organylborates LiRB(OR').sub.3 and LiRR'BOR', wherein R is an organyl group and R' is straight or branched-chain lower alkyl, directly yields the relatively volatile boronic and borinic esters in high purity, leaving behind a residue of lithium alkoxide. Treatment of the lithium organylborates with an appropriate acid halide cleanly liberates either volatile or non-volatile boronic or borinic esters, readily separated from the lower alkyl ester produced as a by-product. The novel compound lithium dimethylborohydride is also provided.

Abstract: A process for synthesizing an optically pure ketone comprising the steps of: treating an appropriate optically pure boronic ester with an organolithium compound at -78.degree. C. to obtain the "ate" complex, separating the optically pure borinic ester from the complex and converting said borinic ester into an optically pure ketone represented by the formulae:R*COR.sup.1 and R*COC.tbd.CR.sup.1wherein R* is a chiral organyl moeity and R.sup.1 is an achiral organyl moeity.

Abstract: Improved processes for liberating boronic, RB(OR').sub.2, and borinic, RR'BOR', esters from their "ate" complexes, free of alcohol are provided. Pyrolysis of lithium organylborates LiRB(OR').sub.3 and LiRR'BOR', wherein R is an organyl group and R' is straight or branched-chain lower alkyl, directly yields the relatively volatile boronic and borinic esters in high purity, leaving behind a residue of lithium alkoxide. Treatment of the lithium organylborates with an appropriate acid halide cleanly liberates either volatile or non-volatile boronic or borinic esters, readily separated from the lower alkyl ester produced as a by-product. The novel compound lithium dimethylborohydride is also provided.

Abstract: Novel mono- and diisopinocampheylhaloboranes, represented by the formulae IpcBX.sub.2 and Ipc.sub.2 BX wherein Ipc is isopinocampheyl and X is halo, as well as processes for making and using same.

Abstract: A process for upgrading to essentially 100% enantiomeric excess the optical purity of an organoborane intermediate represented by the formulae:IcpBHR*orIcp.sub.2 BR*wherein Icp is isopinocampheyl and R* is a unsubstituted or substituted, acyclic or cyclic alkyl having from 4 to 30 carbon atoms, comprising the steps of hydroborating cis-alkene, a trans-alkene or a tertiary-alkene with monoisopinocampheylborane or diisopinocampheylborane, obtaining a solid organoborane and recrystallizing the solid organoborane to obtain an enantiomeric excess of essentially 100% ee of said organoborane.

Abstract: A process which comprises heating a stabilized solution of borane in tetrahydrofuran containing an organic sulfide and finely divided particles of sodium fluoroborate at an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to convert the sodium fluoroborate particles to a form which permits them to be readily removed from the solution such as by settling, filtration or centrifugation.

Abstract: The novel borane-1,4-thioxane is synthesized by adding the calculated quantity of diborane to 1,4-thioxane. It is a stable liquid at 25.degree. C. The neat liquid is approximately 8.0 M in borane. The product, in spite of the additional oxygen atom in the ring, exhibits the desirable hydroborating and reducing action of borane-methyl sulfide. However, it possesses a major advantage over the latter in that the donor component, 1,4-thioxane, in contrast to methyl sulfide, is readily soluble in water and can be washed out of typical reaction mixtures. This greatly facilitates the synthetic applications of borane-1,4-thioxane over borane-methyl sulfide.

Abstract: Borohydride hydrogenations using agents of the formula M[RR'R"BH] wherein M is a metal and R, R', and R" are each organic groups, at least one of them being a secondary or tertiary alkyl group, are described herein. These compounds are active hydrogenating agents which are particularly useful because they permit steric control of the hydrogenation of carbonyl groups, they permit selective hydrogenation of functional groups or, where one of the R groups is optically active, they permit stereoselective hydrogenation.

Abstract: 9-Borabicyclo (3.3.1) noname (9-BBN), a relatively stable solid dialkylborane, can be used to reduce a wide variety of reducible chemical compounds, including both organic and inorganic compounds. The stability of the reagent greatly reduces the operating difficulties encountered with other dialkylboranes having similar reduction properties, which are thermally and hydrolytically unstable.

Abstract: 9-Borabicyclo (3.3.1) noname (9-BBN), a relatively stable solid dialkylborane, can be used to reduce a wide variety of reducible chemical compounds, including both organic and inorganic compounds. The stability of the reagent greatly reduces the operating difficulties encountered with other dialkylboranes having similar reduction properties, which are thermally and hydrolytically unstable.

Abstract: Organic compounds containing a carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid anhydride group are reduced when contacted with an alkali metal borohydride and a boron trihalide in a liquid medium in which diborane is soluble in the form of a labile borane adduct. Hydrolysis of the reaction mixture then provides a useful synthesis of the corresponding carbinols.The alkali metal borohydride-boron trihalide reagent may either be preformed and reacted subsequently with an organic compound containing a carboxylic acid or anhydride group, or the alkali metal borohydride-boron trihalide reagent may be produced in the presence of an organic compound containing a carboxylic acid or anhydride group. This development makes it possible to synthesize a wide variety of carbinols which are valuable and useful intermediates in organic synthesis.

Abstract: Organic compounds containing both an amino group and a carboxylic acid group are reduced when treated with boron trifluoride followed by diborane, a borane-ether or borane-organic sulfide complex. The presence of the boron trifluoride is responsible for an increase in the rate of reduction of the carboxylic acid group and eliminates the need for the large excess of the borane complex normally required due to the competing formation of boron-nitrogen compounds. Hydrolysis of the reaction mixture provides a useful and convenient method for separating the corresponding amino alcohol.