Activation of CF Bonds in Preference to CI Bonds: Difluoromethylation of Lithium Enolates with Trifluoromethyl Iodide

Reversal of the Regioselectivity of Iron-Promoted Hydrogenation and Hydrohalogenation of gem-Difluoroalkenes

The reaction regioselectivity of gem-difluoroalkenes is dependent on the intrinsic polarity. Thus, the reversal of the regioselectivity of the addition reaction of gem-difluoroalkenes remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we described an unprecedented reversal of regioselectivity of hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) to gem-difluoroalkenes triggered by Fe-H species for the formation of difluoroalkyl radicals. Hydrogenation of the in situ generated radicals gave difluoromethylated products. Mechanism experiments and theoretical studies revealed that the kinetic effect of the irreversible HAT process resulted in the reversal of the regioselectivity of this scenario, leading to the formation of a less stable α-difluoroalkyl radical regioisomer. On basis of this new reaction of gem-difluoroalkene, the iron-promoted hydrohalogenation of gem-difluoroalkenes for the efficient synthesis of aliphatic chlorodifluoromethyl-, bromodifluoromethyl- and iododifluoromethyl-containing compounds was developed. Particularly, this novel hydrohalogenation of gem-difluoroalkenes provided an effect and large-scale access to various iododifluoromethylated compounds of high value for synthetic application.

Visible light-mediated difluoroalkylation of electron-deficient alkenes

A method for the reductive difluoroalkylation of electron-deficient alkenes using 1,1-difluorinated iodides mediated by irradiation with blue light is described. The reaction involves radical addition of 1,1-difluorinated radicals at the double bond followed by hydrogen atom transfer from sodium cyanoborohydride.

Oxidative Difluoromethylation of Tetrahydroisoquinolines Using TMSCF2SPh: Synthesis of Fluorinated Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines and Benzo[a]quinolizidines

An efficient C1-difluoromethylation of tetrahydroisoquinolenes was achieved using TMSCF₂SPh as a difluoromethylating agent and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxoammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEMPO⁺BF₄^-) as an oxidant. The process provides an access to a variety of C1-difluoro(phenylsulfanyl)methylated tetrahydroisoquinoline adducts in good yields. These adducts were employed as key precursors for preparing fluorinated pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline and benzo[a]quinolizidines.

Halodifluoroacetates as formylation reagents for various amines via unprecedented quadruple cleavage

Unprecedented quadruple cleavage of halodifluoromethyl compounds has been disclosed for the first time, resulting in carbonyl synthons for reaction with various amines.

Stable (sila)difluoromethylboranes via C–F activation of fluoroform derivatives

Lithium 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-1,3,2-diazaborol-2-uide activates the C–F linkage of CF₃R (R = H, SiMe₃) to provide difluoromethyl-substituted boranes as air-stable compounds.

C–F bond substitution via aziridinium ion intermediates

A mild and distinct methodology for instantaneous β-amino fluoride substitution mediated by La[N(SiMe₃)₂]₃ has been developed. The reaction proceeds via a reactive aziridinium ion intermediate, which readily reacts with various nucleophiles. This allows the use of fluorine as a modular functionality and further expands the role of aziridinium ions in organic synthesis.

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.

A simple method for asymmetric trifluoromethylation of N-acyl oxazolidinones via Ru-catalyzed radical addition to zirconium enolates

A Ru-catalyzed direct thermal trifluoromethylation and perfluoroalkylation of N-acyloxazolidinones has been developed. The reaction is experimentally simple and requires inexpensive reagents while providing good yields of products with good levels of stereocontrol. Preliminary studies have shown notable compatibility with functional groups, aromatics, and certain heteroaromatic substituents. The described method provides a useful alternative for the synthesis of fluorinated materials in an experimentally convenient manner.

Enantioselective and diastereoselective Tsuji-Trost allylic alkylation of lactones: an experimental and computational study

The Tsuji-Trost protocol has been successfully employed for the allylic alkylation of preformed lactone enolates. It has been demonstrated that this Pd-catalyzed reaction can be carried out in an enantio- and diastereoselective manner. The use of additives, such as LiCl, was found to be crucial for reaching high levels of product selectivity. For one particular pair of reactants, density functional theory was used to investigate the mechanism of the nucleophilic addition. Among the five pathways considered, the reaction between an (allyl)Pd(BINAP) complex and a LiCl-lithium enolate adduct is predicted to be the most likely route for C-C bond formation. LiCl plays a key role as the connecting link between the noble metal and the enolate in the kinetically favored transition state. The computed diastereoselectivity ratio is in good agreement with the experimentally observed value.

Magnesium(II)-binaphtholate as a practical chiral catalyst for the enantioselective direct Mannich-type reaction with malonates

A highly enantioselective direct Mannich-type reaction of aldimines with dialkyl malonates was developed with the use of a Mg(II)-BINOLate salt, which was designed as a cooperative acid-base catalyst that can activate both aldimines and malonates. Optically active beta-aminoesters and alpha-halo-beta-aminoesters could be synthesized in high yields and with high enantioselectivities. This inexpensive and practical Mg(II)-BINOLate salt could be used in gram-scale catalysis.