Development of C-H borylation Using Solid Catalysts
July 2, 2026
Application to organic synthetic processes under batch and continuous flow conditions
A research team at RIKEN CSRS produced a polymeric iridium (Ir) catalyst that can be recovered and reused, enabling C-H borylation of aromatic compounds under batch and continuous-flow conditions.
In this study, the team newly generated an insoluble polymeric Ir catalyst using the molecular convolution method, its own technique for preparing polymeric metal catalysts. This catalyst can be recovered by processes such as filtration and centrifugation after the batch reaction. The researchers, then, packed the polymeric Ir catalyst mixed with sea sand into a cartridge column and performed C-H borylation by flushing aromatic compounds and reagents necessary for their borylation (B2pin2) in air. This procedure stably yielded the corresponding products even during prolonged operation.
X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy of the catalysts demonstrated that the trivalent Ir precursor is gradually reduced during the catalyst preparation and C-H borylation, thereby producing an active monovalent Ir. Furthermore, it was shown that the produced Ir species are stabilized by the polymeric structure.
The results of this study show a novel approach for preparing immobilized transitional metal catalysts. They are therefore expected to evolve into continuous-flow organic synthesis processes for synthesizing functional molecules and their intermediates.
- Original article
- Communications Chemistry doi: 10.1038/s42004-026-02044-0
- Z. Zhang, A. Ohno, Y. M. A. Yamada,
- "Polymeric iridium catalysts for C-H borylation of arenes under batch and continuous flow conditions".
- Contact
- Yoichi M. A. Yamada; Team Director
Zhenzhong Zhang; Research Scientist
Green Nanocatalysis Research Team
