Selective transformations mediated by main-group organometallics

Main-group organometallics are useful intermediates for the chemoselective and diastereoselective C-C bond formation. The boron-zinc exchange is a uni que way for preparing chiral secondary alkylzinc reagents which are configu rationally stable over a wide temperature scale, Coupled with the thermal r earrangement of tertiary organoboranes, a broad range of open-chain and cyc lic polyfunctional molecules have been prepared. In addition, several examp les of a diastereoselective remote C-H activation have been studied. The se cond part shows that the main-group metallic alkoxides such as t-BuOK can b e used for the performance of catalytic reactions such as a new indole synt hesis.