Final answer:
The oxidation of a trialkyl borane involves the transfer of an oxygen atom to the boron atom, forming a boronic acid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mechanism of oxidation of a trialkyl borane involves the transfer of an oxygen atom to the boron atom, resulting in the formation of a boron-oxygen bond. This process is often initiated by a strong oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or oxygen gas (O2). The reaction can be represented as follows:
R3B + H2O2 → R3BOH + H2O
Where R represents an alkyl group attached to the boron atom. The resulting product, R3BOH, is a boronic acid.