An unprecedented synthesis of 8-substituted-borondipyrromethenes is described starting from 8-thiomethylbodipy
1. Aryl, heteroaryl, alkenyl,and organometallic boronic acids smoothly reacted with
1 in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(0) and a stoichiometric amount ofCu(I)-2-thienylcarboxylate
under neutral conditions to gi
ve the corresponding Bodipy analogues in good to quantitati
ve yields (20 examples).A remarkable reacti
vity was obser
ved in some cases, e.g., ferrocenylboronic acid ga
ve the product in 98% isolated yield after
only 10 min at55 C.