Borohydride-Mediated Radical Addition Reactions of Organic Iodides to Electron-Deficient Alkenes

Cyanoborohydrides are efficient reagents in the reductive addition reactions of alkyl iodides and electron-deficient olefins. In contrast to using tin reagents, the reaction took place chemoselectively at the carbon–iodine bond but not at the carbon–bromine or carbon–chlorine bond. The reaction system was successfully applied to three-component reactions, including radical carbonylation. The rate constant for the hydrogen abstraction of a primary alkyl radical from tetrabutylammonium cyanoborohydride was estimated to be