Boro's FA Cup dream was rudely ended by an awesome Arsenal side who dished out a footballing lesson.
The Gunners flashed the ball around at high speed and showed some sublime touches and movement in a superb first half in which the Champions League chasers were on a different planet.
Boro struggled to get to grips with the pace and penetration and the game was over as Olivier Giroud scored twice in three blistering minutes in the first half.
After the break Arsenal eased up a bit and Boro laboured back into the game for spells but they lacked a cutting edge.
They may have had a consolation as Kike headed against the post in stoppage time but that couldn't disguise the gulf between the sides as Boro slipped to their first defeat in 11 games.
Aitor Karanka restored most of his regular starters with only three survivors – Adam Clayton, Albert Adomah and Kike - from the 2-1 midweek win at Blackpool.
Arsenal had some slick early possession with red hot Chilean Alexis Sanchez playing keepy-uppy just inside the Boro box at one point before the danger was cleared.
Then on three minutes Clayton fouled Giroud 30 yards out but when Cazorla curled it over the wall and sent it dipping towards the near post alert Tomas Mejias did well to push it around for a corner.
Boro probed as Lee Tomlin collected a Kenneth Omeruo ball forward and tricked past Flamini then tried to slot a pass through to Patrick Bamford's run into the box but it was cut out by Koscielny.
On eight minutes Arsenal threatened as full-back Gibbs over-lapped on the right and crossed for Giroud to knock it down for Sanchez – who looked offside – but Mejias was in quickly to collect.
Then on 11 minutes Carzola found space 30 yards out and slotted a ball into the box to pick out a run by Gibbs but meijas came sliding out to smother at his feet.
There was a scare on 13 minutes as Giroud collected a Gibbs cross and back-heeled in the box for Sanchez but Omeruo made a timely tackle to clear before the striker could shape to shoot.
Then on 14 minutes Arsenal went close as Welbeck picked out Giroud on the edge of the box and he drilled in a stinging shot that sent Mejias full length to block and push the ball wide then the lurking Sanchez fired into the side-netting from a tight angle.
Arsenal were zipping the ball around and switch positions quickly and Boro were having to work hard to keep them at bay and both Clayton and Bamford had to make sliding tackles in the box.
On 22 minutes Ozil cut out a misplaced Adomah pass and slotted forward for Giroud to burst forward but he fired his 20 yard shot in early and it flew straight into the arms of Mejias.
Boro made a rare raid forward on 25 minutes as George Friend raced down the left and pushed it forward for Adomah then burst into the box for the return only to be crowded out.
But Arsenal took the lead on 27 minutes with an exquisite goal after a passing move that carved Boro open.
Ozil went on a weaving run then cut an angled ball to the edge of the box and Cazorla touched it wide for Gibbs to skip to the byline then square across the face of goal and unmarked OLIVIER GIROUD steered home from six yards out.
And Boro were rocked by a second Arsenal goal on 29 minutes as a cheaply conceded corner was whipped to the neat post by Sanchez and OLIVIER GIROUD peeled off at the near post to fire in an angled volley from 10 yards.
Boro responded with a good move as Ryan Fredericks raced down the right and barged through a tackle then crossed in but although Bamford brought it down he couldn't find space to turn and when he played it back out wide.Kike's ball in was cut out and cleared.
Arsenal almost had a third on 34 minutes as Sanchez burst forward and played a one-two with Ozil then chipped past advancing Meijas but Clayton had scampered back and hooked the ball off the line.
Boro had their first effort on target on 39 minutes as Adomah carried the ball down the inside right channel and as the defence backed off he cut to the edge of the box and rifled a low shot and keeper Szczesny had to get down well to smother.
Arsenal almost got lucky on 44 minutes as Ben Gibson blocked a Giroud shot and it looped high into the box and fell for Welbeck to trap and trick past Friend then drill into the side-netting.
HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 2 BORO 0
Arsenal had the first chance after the break on 48 minutes as after a crisp move Ozil squared and Flamini flashed a 22 yard low effort wide.
And they should have had a third on 52 minutes as a wayward Adomah pass was cut out wide on the right and Welbeck wriggled into the box and drew out Mejias then fired wide of the far post from a tight angle.
And two minutes later as Sanchez slotted a ball into the path of Ozil who touched past Omeruo then slammed a waist high 12 yard shot straight at Mejias.
On 54 minutes Boro put on Adam Reach and Jelle Vossen for Tomlin and Bamford.
Reach was quickly in action as he burst forward and ran at Gabriel forcing the Arsenal debutant into a foul that picked up a yellow card on 55 minutes but Leadbitter's 25 yard free-kick hit the wall.
Soon after Boro probed down the right as Adomah sent Frederixks over-lapping but he was sent flying with a good sliding tackle by Gibbs.
Arsenal almost cut through on 62 minutes as Cazorla and Giroud combined to carve into the Boro box for over-lapping Gibbs to pop up on the left and rifle in an angled shot that Mejias palmed away.
And they went closer still on 64 minutes as Cazorla chipped in a free-kick for Sanchez to flick on a header that Mejias did well to scramble around the foot of the far post.
Boro win a free-kick 30 yards out on 69 minutes after Kike was brought down but it was cleared then a poor ball back in from Omeruo was cut and Arsenal broke quickly but Giroud over-ran it and the danger came to nothing.
Arsenal almost broke soon after as some electric footwork by Sanchez saw him wriggle into the box and play a one-two with Ozil but as he prepared to shoot Fredericks arrived with a superb tackle.
On 71 minutes Arsenal put on Rosicky and Walcott for Sanchez and Welbeck
Boro won a corner on 75 minutes but when it was cleared Arsenal broke forward in numbers and Rosicky got into the box then cut the ball back for Cazorla to flash a shot over.
Boro threatened soon after as an incisive move found Kike in the box and he skipped over a challenge to get into shooting position but Gabriel arrived with a tackle before he could unload.
Arsenal were back on the attack on 80 minutes as Chambers zipped a low cross in towards Giroud but Omeruo cut it out and it was scrambled away then when the ball back in the Nigerian defender was well placed to block a goalbound Ozil effort.
On 83 minutes Arsenal put on Akpom for Giroud.
On 85 minutes Vossen was booked for a foul on Cazorla.
Arsenal were on the attack again on 87 minutes as Ozil cut in from the right and fired a low angled effort straight at Mejias.
Boro carved out the chance for a consolation on 89 minutes as Adomah cut in from the right and past two men then lashed a left foot shot a yard wide.
And in stoppage time Boro rattled the woodwork as Fredericks crossed in and Kike powered an eight yard header against the post.
BORO: Mejias, Fredericks, Omeruo, Gibson, Friend, Clayton, Leadbitter, Bamford (Vossen 54), Tomlin (Reach 54) , Adomah, Kike Subs: Ripley, Woodgate, Husband, Whitehead, Nsue.
ARSENAL: Szczesny, Chambers, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs, Flamini, Cazorla, Ozil, Welbeck (Welbeck 71), Alexis (Rosicky 71), Giroud Subs: Martinez, Mertesacker, Monreal, Coquelin.
Ref: Mike Dean (The Wirrel)
Att: 59,823 (5,280 Boro fans)
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