Copyright: © 2026 by the authors. Licensee: Pirogov University.
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REVIEW

Boron-containing compounds in medicinal chemistry: amine-borane adducts

Kopylova TA1,2 , Sokolova AS1 , Yarovaya OI1 , Salakhutdinov NF1
About authors

1 NN Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Novosibirsk, Russia

2 Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia

Correspondence should be addressed: Olga I. Yarovaya
Academician Lavrentiev Pr., 9, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia; ur.relbmar@rayo

Received: 2025-12-29 Accepted: 2026-05-07 Published online: 2026-05-30
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Despite the clinical success of five boronic acid-based organoboron compounds, the literature highlights a critical gap in our understanding of amine-borane adducts, a highly promising class of boron compounds. The objective of this paper is to classify data regarding the mechanisms of action of existing boron-based pharmaceuticals, while assessing the structural, stability, and biological properties of amine-borane adducts as future therapeutic candidates. This analytical review examines organoborane pharmacophores, specifically analyzing the donor-acceptor properties of the B-N bond and how electronic and steric factors influence them. It also summarizes the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological test results for various amine-boranes, including adducts of alpha amino acids, nucleosides, and heterocyclic amines. The study’s core methodologies included evaluating structural activity relationships and testing antitumor, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, and pain-relieving effects in standard preclinical models (e. g., Ehrlich ascites, L1210, P388, HLB, SW480, and edema/pleurisy models). Additionally, cytotoxicity was measured using ED50 values across various tumor cell lines. In summary, amine-borane complexes are a highly promising class of compounds with proven antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering properties, which are strongly dictated by their structures. Nevertheless, their successful translation into clinical drugs relies on closely examining the stability of the B-N coordination bond and their reactivity under physiological conditions, including hydrolysis, oxidative stress, and interactions with biological nucleophiles in vivo.

Keywords: antitumor activity, amine-borane adducts, boron-containing compounds, medical boron chemistry, anti-inflammatory activit

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