Is hydroboration an example of a concerted reaction?
1 Answer
Jan 10, 2015
The hydroboration of alkenes is a single-step concerted mechanism.
The π electrons act as the nucleophile with the electrophilic B atom, and the H is transferred to the C with syn stereochemistry.
Everything happens at the same time.
Note that B is more electronegative than H, so B is the positive end of the B-H bond.
Like H⁺ in a Markovnikov addition, the B atom adds to the C with more H atoms.
