Diethylzinc-promoted carboxylation of aryl/alkenyl boronic acids with CO2

The carboxylation of aryl and alkenyl boronic acids with CO2 is rarely studied and only achieved using copper salts as the catalyst in the presence of a strong base. Herein, we report a diethylzinc-promoted carboxylation of aryl or alkenyl boronic acids with carbon dioxide. The reaction does not require a transition-metal catalyst, and has simple and mild conditions and a broad substrate scope.