The Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling of 4-bromo-1-butyl-9-BBN produces 4-hydroxybutyl products evidently arising from a boron-assisted hydroxide substitution. This process was utilized in the synthesis of (±)-2-methoxy-5Z-hexadecenoic acid methyl ester (1), a derivative of the phospholipids isolated from the Caribbean sponge, Spheciospongia cuspidifera.