Inner shell electron energy spectroscopy (ISEELS) was used to study HBS, HBO, and H3B3O3, reactive, transient species generated in situ. The reaction of H2S with crystalline boron in a quartz tube was used to produce thioborine (HBS) at similar to 1100 degrees C, and borine (HBO) at similar to 1200 degrees C. The reaction of H2O vapor with crystalline boron in a quartz tube at similar to 1200 degrees C was used to produce boroxine (H3B3O3). These species were identified from their inner shell excitation spectra and mass spectrometry. The B 1s, S 2s, and S 2p ISEEL spectra of HBS, and the B 1s and O 1s spectra of HBO and H3B3O3 are reported and analyzed with the help of GSCF3 ab initio calculations. A reaction scheme is proposed for the generation of HBO from the reaction of H2S and boron in a heated quartz tube.