The unique role of fluorine in the design of active ingredients for modern crop protection

Facile Access to AgOCF3 and Its New Applications as a Reservoir for OCF2 for the Direct Synthesis of N-CF3 , Aryl or Alkyl Carbamoyl Fluorides

The development of innovative fluorination strategies is greatly dependent also on the availability, safety and practicability of available fluorinating reagents. We herein show a straightforward and quantitative strategy for the preparation of valuable AgOCF₃ at room temperature and showcase its performance in trifluoromethoxylations or as reservoir for O=CF₂ . This enabled the direct, practical and safe synthesis of valuable N-alkyl/aryl and N-CF₃ carbamoyl fluorides from secondary amines and isothiocyanides, respectively. Our mechanistic data indicate that AgOCF₃ does not liberate O=CF₂ until it is activated by a nucleophilic co-reagent, reinforcing the stability of the salt under our new preparation strategy.

Base-Promoted C-C Bond Activation Enables Radical Allylation with Homoallylic Alcohols

The C_α–C_β bond in homoallylic alcohols can be activated under basic conditions, qualifying these nonstrained acyclic systems as radical allylation reagents. This reactivity is exemplified by photoinitiated (with visible light and/or blue LEDs) allylation of perfluoroalkyl and alkyl radicals generated from perfluoroalkyl iodides and alkylpyridinium salts, respectively, with homoallylic alcohols. C-radical addition to the double bond of the title reagents and subsequent base-promoted homolytic C_α–C_β cleavage leads to the formation of the corresponding allylated products along with ketyl radicals that act as single electron reductants to sustain the chain reactions. Substrate scope is documented and the role of base in the C–C bond activation is studied by computation.

Silver-Mediated Intermolecular Iodotrifluoromethoxylation of Alkenes

For the first time, intermolecular iodotrifluoromethoxylation between alkenes and NIS with AgF as the catalyst and TFMS as the trifluoromethoxylation reagent has been explored. The practical processes, good functional group tolerance, and easy scalability make this reaction an attractive protocol for the synthesis of trifluoromethoxylated iodides, which can be readily used for further synthetic manipulation.

Improving the Sensitivity of FESTA Methods for the Analysis of Fluorinated Mixtures

The analysis of complex mixtures is an important but often intractable problem. When species contain sparse fluorine atoms, NMR spectra of fluorine-containing spin systems can be efficiently extracted from an intact mixture using the recently proposed FESTA (Fluorine-Edited Selective TOCSY Acquisition) methodology. Here an alternative approach to the existing selective reverse INEPT FESTA (SRI-FESTA) experiment is described, based on the use of a modulated spin echo for the initial excitation. MODO-FESTA (modulated echo FESTA) is simpler and has a significant sensitivity advantage over SRI-FESTA. Comparisons are presented of the relative sensitivity and spectral purity of the two types of methods.

Asymmetric trifluoromethylthiolation of azlactones under chiral phase transfer catalysis

The first enantioselective method for the installation of the SCF₃ group at the C-4 position of azlactones is described in the present communication under quinidinium phase transfer catalysis.

C–F activation reactions at germylium ions: dehydrofluorination of fluoralkanes

The germylium ions [GeR₃]⁺ catalyze dehydrodefluorination reactions of fluorinated alkanes when germanes are used as hydrogen source.

Photo-induced 1,2-carbohalofunctionalization of C–C multiple bonds via ATRA pathway

Carbohalofunctionalization of C–C multiple bonds via atom transfer radical processes constitutes an efficient method for the construction of halogenated building blocks with complete atom economy. This review summarizes the recent advancements.

Computational understanding of catalyst-controlled borylation of fluoroarenes: directed vs. undirected pathway

In this work, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to understand the origin of the regioselective C–H borylation of aromatics catalyzed by Co(i)/^iPrPNP and Ir(iii)/dtbpy (4,4-di-tert-butyl bipyridine).

Intermolecular fluoroamination of allenes towards substituted vinyl fluorides

Allene difunctionalization: Selectfluor mediated intermolecular aminofluorination of allenes with triazole and tetrazole nucleophiles towards vinyl fluorides.

An efficient and facile strategy for trifluoromethylation and perfluoroalkylation of isoquinolines and heteroarenes

An effective and regioselective strategy for trifluoromethylation and perfluoroalkylation of isoquinolines and heteroarenes was developed.

Photoredox-catalyzed halotrifluoromethylations of alkynes with triethylammonium halides: synthesis of tetrasubstituted alkenes containing CF3 and halogens

The introduction of F- and CF₃-groups into alkynes is enabled by photocatalysis under mild conditions. The developed method can be extended to providing chloro- and bromotrifluoromethylated alkynes and bioactive compounds functionalization.

Synthesis of Anthranilic Diamide Derivatives Containing Moieties of Trifluoromethylpyridine and Hydrazone as Potential Anti-Viral Agents for Plants

A series of novel anthranilic diamide derivatives (5a-5ab) containing moieties of trifluoromethylpyridine and hydrazone was designed and synthesized. The synthesized compounds were evaluated in vivo for their activities against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Most of the synthesized compounds displayed good to excellent antiviral activities. The compounds 5i, 5k, 5s, 5w, 5x, and 5z had the curative activity over 65% against TMV at the concentration of 500 μg/mL, which were significantly higher than those of ningnanmycin (55.0%) and ribavirin (37.9%). Notably, the curative activity of compound 5i was up to 79.5%, with the EC₅₀ value of 75.9 μg/mL, whereas the EC₅₀ value of ningnanmycin was 362.4 μg/mL. The pot experiments also further demonstrated the significantly curative effect of 5i. Meanwhile, compounds 5h, 5p and 5x displayed more protective activities on TMV than that of ningnanmycin. Moreover, compounds 5a, 5e, 5f, and 5i showed inactivation activity similar to ningnanmycin at 500 μg/mL, and the EC₅₀ value of 5e (41.5 μg/mL) was lower than ningnanmycin (50.0 μg/mL). The findings of transmission electron microscopic (TEM) indicated that the synthesized compounds exhibited strong and significant binding affinity to TMV coat protein (CP) and could obstruct the self-assembly and increment of TMV particles. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) studies on TMV-CP and CMV CP revealed that some of the active compounds, particularly 5i, exhibited a strong binding capability to TMV-CP or CMV-CP. This study revealed that anthranilic diamide derivatives containing moieties of trifluoromethylpyridine and hydrazone could be used as novel antiviral agents for controlling the plant viruses.

Divergent synthesis of 5',7'-difluorinated dihydroxanthene-hemicyanine fused near-infrared fluorophores

We describe an expedient access to a 5',6',7'-trifluoro dihydroxanthene-hemicyanine fused scaffold in 2 steps and 54% overall yield from the corresponding salicylic aldehyde. A 6'-regioselective nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) reaction with a wide range of nitrogen, sulfur or selenium nucleophiles then gives access to 16 near-infrared (NIR) fluorophores emitting in the 710-750 nm range. We also report the experimental and theoretical photophysical investigations of these unique optical agents that include the first series of 6'-heavy atom substituted dihydroxanthenes, extending the pool of polyfluorinated markers for biomedical and material applications.

New sulfuryl fluoride-derived alkylating reagents for the 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkylation of thiols

Herein, we report a new method for the one-pot synthesis of 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkyl sulfides by bubbling sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) through a solution of the corresponding alcohol and thiol. The reaction proceeds through a new class of bis(1,1-dihydrofluoroalkyl) sulfate reagents, to afford the desired 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkyl sulfides in 55-90% isolated yields. The bis(1,1-dihydrofluoroalkyl) sulfates are highly chemoselective for thiol alkylation, and are unreactive with competing, unprotected nucleophiles, including amines, alcohols, and carboxylic acids.

C-H and C-F bond activation reactions of pentafluorostyrene at rhodium complexes

The rhodium(i) complexes [Rh(Bpin)(PEt₃)₃] (1), [Rh(H)(PEt₃)₃] (5) and [Rh(Me)(PEt₃)₃] (14) were employed in reactions with pentafluorostyrene affording coordination of the olefin and C-F or C-H bond activation. Control of the reaction conditions allowed for selective activation reactions at different positions at the fluorinated aromatic ring. The rhodacycle trans-[Rh(F)(CH₂CH₂(2-C₆F₄))(PEt₃)₂] (7) was identified as an intermediate for an activation at the 2-position. Reactivity studies of the latter with CO led to the generation of trans-[Rh(F)(CH₂CH₂C₆F₄)(CO)(PEt₃)₂] (10). Stoichiometric and catalytic hydroboration reactions were achieved using complexes 1 or 5 as catalysts.

One-Pot Metal-Free Synthesis of 3-CF3-1,3-Oxazinopyridines by Reaction of Pyridines with CF3CO-Acetylenes

The reaction of pyridines with trifluoroacetylated acetylenes was investigated. It was found that the reaction of various pyridines with two molecules of CF₃CO-acetylenes proceeds under mild metal-free conditions. As a result, efficient stereoselective synthesis of 3-arylethynyl-3-trifluoromethyl-1,3-oxazinopyridines was elaborated. Target heterocycles can be prepared in up to quantitative yields.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 3-(cyclo-propyl-meth-oxy)-4-(di-fluoro-meth-oxy)-N-(pyridin-2-ylmeth-yl)benzamide

The title compound, C18H18F2N2O3, crystallizes with two independent mol-ecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit. They differ essentially in the orientation of the pyridine ring with respect to the benzene ring; these two rings are inclined to each other by 53.3 (2)° in mol-ecule A and by 72.9 (2)° in mol-ecule B. The 3-(cyclo-propyl-meth-oxy) side chain has an extended conformation in both mol-ecules. The two mol-ecules are linked by a pair of C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and two C-H⋯π inter-actions, forming an A-B unit. In the crystal, this unit is linked by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a zigzag -A-B-A-B- chain along [001]. The chains are linked by C-H⋯N and C-H⋯F hydrogen bonds to form layers parallel to the ac plane. Finally, the layers are linked by a third C-H⋯π inter-action, forming a three-dimensional structure. The major contributions to the Hirshfeld surface are those due to H⋯H contacts (39.7%), followed by F⋯H/H⋯F contacts (19.2%).

Recent advances in transition-metal-catalyzed incorporation of fluorine-containing groups

Fluorine chemistry plays an increasingly important role in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and materials industries. The incorporation of fluorine-containing groups into organic molecules can improve their chemical and physical properties, which attracts continuous interest in organic synthesis. Among various reported methods, transition-metal-catalyzed fluorination/fluoroalkylation has emerged as a powerful method for the construction of these compounds. This review attempts to describe the major advances in the transition-metal-catalyzed incorporation of fluorine, trifluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethylthio, and trifluoromethoxy groups reported between 2011 and 2019.

Approaches to Obtaining Fluorinated α-Amino Acids

Fluorine does not belong to the pool of chemical elements that nature uses to build organic matter. However, chemists have exploited the unique properties of fluorine and produced countless fluoro-organic compounds without which our everyday lives would be unimaginable. The incorporation of fluorine into amino acids established a completely new class of amino acids and their properties, and those of the biopolymers constructed from them are extremely interesting. Increasing interest in this class of amino acids caused the demand for robust and stereoselective synthetic protocols that enable straightforward access to these building blocks. Herein, we present a comprehensive account of the literature in this field going back to 1995. We place special emphasis on a particular fluorination strategy. The four main sections describe fluorinated versions of alkyl, cyclic, aromatic amino acids, and also nickel-complexes to access them. We progress by one carbon unit increments. Special cases of amino acids for which there is no natural counterpart are described at the end of each section. Synthetic access to each of the amino acids is summarized in form of a table at the end of this article with the aim to make the information easily accessible to the reader.

Chemoselective Mono- and Difluorination of 1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds

By altering the amount of Selectfluor, the highly selective mono- and difluorination of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds has been achieved, affording a variety of 2-fluoro- and 2,2-difluoro-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds in good to excellent yields. The reaction can be readily performed in aqueous media without any catalyst and base, which features practical and convenient fluorination. Importantly, a gram-scale reaction, transformation of 2-fluoro-1,3-diphenylpropane-1,3-dione to 4-fluoro-1,3,5-triphenyl-1H-pyrazole, and chlorination and bromination of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds are realized to further exhibit its synthetic utility.

Trifluoromethylation and Monofluoroalkenylation of Alkenes through Radical-Radical Cross-Coupling

The first visible-light-induced trifluoromethylation and monofluoroalkenylation of simple alkenes via a challenging radical-radical cross-coupling step was achieved. This method provided a mild, step-economical and redox-neutral route to privileged two different fluorinated difunctionalized allyl compounds. The utility of this method is illustrated by late-stage modification of medically important molecules.

C-H and C-F Bond Activation Reactions of Fluorinated Propenes at Rhodium: Distinctive Reactivity of the Refrigerant HFO-1234yf

The reaction of [Rh(H)(PEt₃ )₃ ] (1) with the refrigerant HFO-1234yf (2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene) affords an efficient route to obtain [Rh(F)(PEt₃ )₃ ] (3) by C-F bond activation. Catalytic hydrodefluorinations were achieved in the presence of the silane HSiPh₃ . In the presence of a fluorosilane, 3 provides a C-H bond activation followed by a 1,2-fluorine shift to produce [Rh{(E)-C(CF₃ )=CHF}(PEt₃ )₃ ] (4). Similar rearrangements of HFO-1234yf were observed at [Rh(E)(PEt₃ )₃ ] [E=Bpin (6), C₇ D₇ (8), Me (9)]. The ability to favor C-H bond activation using 3 and fluorosilane is also demonstrated with 3,3,3-trifluoropropene. Studies are supported by DFT calculations.