Sequential Desymmetrization–Fluorination: Enantioselective Synthesis of Fluorinated Cyclitols

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 vicarious one-pot transformation of a fluorocyclitol to a polycyclitol: observation of a formal 4-fold axial-equatorial epimerization on a conformationally locked scaffold

A conformationally locked fluoropentol undergoes an interesting transformation to (trans,anti,trans,anti,trans)-perhydro-2,3,4a,6,7,8a-naphthalenehexol essentially under conditions of base-induced transesterification. The proposed rationale for the observed metamorphosis involves a nucleophilic displacement of fluoride, and subsequent stereo- and regioselective anti-Fürst-Plattner-type ring-opening of the epoxide thus formed.

Single and double stereoselective fluorination of (E)-allylsilanes

Acyclic allylic monofluorides were prepared by electrophilic fluorination of branched (E)-allylsilanes with Selectfluor. These reactions proceeded with efficient transfer of chirality from the silylated to the fluorinated stereocentre. Upon double fluorination, an unsymmetrical ethyl syn-2,5-difluoroalk-3-enoic ester was prepared, the silyl group acting as an anti stereodirecting group for the two C-F bond forming events.