Boroxine template for macrocyclization and postfunctionalization.

A novel synthetic strategy for large macrocyclic molecules using boroxine formation was developed. For this, the threefold intramolecular olefin metathesis of 3,5-bis(alkenyloxy)phenylboroxines with various lengths of alkenyl chains, formed by the dehydration of the corresponding boronic acid substrates, together with treatment with pinacol, was used to produce 39-, 45-, and 51-membered macrocyclic compounds with three boronate units. The boroxine moiety functions as a covalent template but can also be used to postmodify the macrocycle. Boroxine-templated macrocyclization implemented in this way does not require the addition of template molecules and simplifies the synthetic procedure.