Convenient Electrophilic Fluorination of Functionalized Aryl and Heteroaryl Magnesium Reagents

Shielding Effect of Micelle for Highly Effective and Selective Monofluorination of Indoles in Water

Highly selective direct monofluorination of indoles and arenes was developed through an approach that allows site-specific solubility of substrate and fluorine source in the micelle. This approach was highly selective for a broad range of substrates with excellent functional group tolerance. Differences in binding constant and solubility of indoles and arenes in the micelle allowed the fine-tuning of selectivity. Control experiments suggested a radical pathway and provided insight into the role of micelles of the environmentally benign amphiphile PS-750-M. Dynamic light scattering experiments strongly indicated the site-specific solubility of the substrate and fluorine source. The methodology was successfully adapted to gram scale, and the E-factor established from a recycle study indicated that the process is environmentally responsible and sustainable.

Hypervalent Iodine(III)-Catalyzed Balz-Schiemann Fluorination under Mild Conditions

An unprecedented hypervalent iodine(III) catalyzed Balz-Schiemann reaction is described. In the presence of a hypervalent iodine compound, the fluorination reaction proceeds under mild conditions (25-60 °C), and features a wide substrate scope and good functional-group compatibility.

Benzylic Fluorination of Aza-Heterocycles Induced by Single-Electron Transfer to Selectfluor

A selective and mild method for the benzylic fluorination of aromatic azaheterocycles with Selectfluor is described. These reactions take place by a previously unreported mechanism, in which electron transfer from the heterocyclic substrate to the electrophilic fluorinating agent Selectfluor eventually yields a benzylic radical, thus leading to the desired C-F bond formation. This mechanism enables high intra- and intermolecular selectivity for aza-heterocycles over other benzylic components with similar C-H bond-dissociation energies.

Introduction of fluorine and fluorine-containing functional groups

Over the past decade, the most significant, conceptual advances in the field of fluorination were enabled most prominently by organo- and transition-metal catalysis. The most challenging transformation remains the formation of the parent C-F bond, primarily as a consequence of the high hydration energy of fluoride, strong metal-fluorine bonds, and highly polarized bonds to fluorine. Most fluorination reactions still lack generality, predictability, and cost-efficiency. Despite all current limitations, modern fluorination methods have made fluorinated molecules more readily available than ever before and have begun to have an impact on research areas that do not require large amounts of material, such as drug discovery and positron emission tomography. This Review gives a brief summary of conventional fluorination reactions, including those reactions that introduce fluorinated functional groups, and focuses on modern developments in the field.

Accelerating palladium-catalyzed C-F bond formation: use of a microflow packed-bed reactor

A flow process for Pd-catalyzed carbon fluorine bond formation is described. A microreactor using a packed-bed design allows for easy handling of large quantities of insoluble CsF with precise control over reaction times, efficient mixing, and the ability to safely handle elevated temperatures and pressures. A variety of aryl triflates, including heteroaryl ones, were converted to their corresponding aryl fluoride in short reaction times that would be difficult to achieve in a typical batch process.

Bystanding F+ oxidants enable selective reductive elimination from high-valent metal centers in catalysis

Reductive elimination from partially or completely oxidized metal centers is a vital step in a myriad of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions. One strategy for promoting otherwise challenging reductive elimination reactions is to oxidize the metal center using a two-electron oxidant (that is, from M((n)) to M((n+2))). However, many of the commonly used oxidants for this type of transformation contain oxygen, nitrogen, or halogen moieties that are subsequently capable of participating in reductive elimination, thus leading to a mixture of products. In this Minireview, we examine the use of bystanding F(+) oxidants for addressing this widespread problem in organometallic chemistry and describe recent applications in Pd(II) /Pd(IV) and Au(I) /Au(III) catalysis. We then briefly discuss a rare example in which one-electron oxidants have been shown to promote selective reductive elimination in palladium(II)-catalyzed C-H functionalization, which we view as a promising future direction in the field.