9-BBN is prepared by the reaction of 1,5-cyclooctadiene and borane usually in ethereal solvents, for example:
The compound is commercially available as a solution in tetrahydrofuran and as a solid. 9-BBN is especially useful in Suzuki reactions.
Its highly regioselective addition on alkenes allows the preparation of terminal alcohols by subsequent oxidative cleavage with HO in aqueous KOH. The steric demand of 9-BBN greatly suppresses the formation of the 2-substituted isomer compared to the use of borane.