Boronic Acid Derivative for the Synthesis of Diarylacetylenes

Acetylene-1,2-diyl bis(boronic acid pinacol ester) (1) is utilized as a building block for symmetric diaryl acetylenes.¹⁾ Some compounds with unique properties have been synthesized from 1. For instance, Therien et al. have reported the synthesis of a polymer 3 through Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling with 1 and a diiodonaphthalene derivative 2.²⁾ 3 has an interesting property in that it can wrap and disperse single-walled carbon nanotubes in polar organic solvents. Additionally, He and Rivard et al. have synthesized diarylacetylenes from 1 and then obtained tetraarylbutadienes.³⁾ The tetraarylbutadienes show blue or green emission by adjusting functional groups on the aryl moieties.