Catalytic Cage Bh Functionalization Of Carboranes Via "Cage Walking" Strategy

Carboranes, three-dimensional analogues of benzene, are finding a wide variety of applications ranging from functional materials to pharmaceuticals, which has drawn tremendous research interest. The recent development of transition-metal-catalyzed cage B-H functionalization can realize a series of vertex-specific functionalization of carboranes, of which the "cage-walking" strategy can provide BH functionalization at different positions from where initial bond activation occurs to achieve functionalized carboranes that are difficult to access by conventional methods. In this Viewpoint, we will discuss the concept of cage-walking and its application in the selective cage BH functionalization of carboranes by highlighting typical examples, which could provide some valuable insights into the future carborane multifunctionalization.