Iridium complexes generated from [Ir(OMe)(COD)]2 and tris[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]phosphine efficiently catalyzed the ortho-CâH borylation of benzoate esters with bis(pinacolato)diboron in octane at 80 °C to produce the corresponding arylboronates in high yields with excellent regioselectivities.