Understanding and Controlling Fluorinated Diacyl Peroxides and Fluoroalkyl Radicals in Alkene Fluoroalkylations

The demand for practical methods for the synthesis of novel fluoroalkyl molecules is increasing owing to their diverse applications. Our group has achieved efficient difunctionalizing fluoroalkylations of alkenes using fluorinated carboxylic anhydrides as user-friendly fluoroalkyl sources. Fluorinated diacyl peroxide, prepared in situ from carboxylic anhydrides, enables the development of novel reactions when used as a radical fluoroalkylating reagent. In this account, we aim to provide an in-depth understanding of the structure, bonding, and reactivity of fluorinated diacyl peroxides and radicals as well as their control in fluoroalkylation reactions. In the first part of this account, the physical properties and reactivity of diacyl peroxides and fluoroalkyl radicals are described. In the subsequent part, we categorize the reactions into copper-catalyzed and metal-free methods utilizing the oxidizing properties of fluorinated diacyl peroxides. We also outline examples and mechanisms.

Structure Dependence in Asymmetric Deprotonative Fluorination and Fluorocyclization Reactions of Allylamine Derivatives with Linked Binaphthyl Dicarboxylate Phase-Transfer Catalyst

The asymmetric fluorofunctionalization of γ,γ-disubstituted allylamine derivatives (e.g., 3, 7, and 8) was investigated using our dianionic phase-transfer catalyst. Depending on the substituents on the alkene moiety, the reaction afforded chiral allylic fluorides and fluorinated dihydrooxazines in a highly enantioselective manner (up to 99% ee). The absolute stereochemistry of these products was found to be opposite to that in our previously reported fluorocyclization of γ-monosubstituted allylic amides (e.g., 13 and 14). To probe this interesting phenomenon, we investigated the influence of the substitution pattern of the alkene moiety on the reaction by means of NMR experiments and kinetic studies. The rate laws of the deprotonative fluorination and the fluorocyclization of γ,γ-disubstituted substrates were v = k[cat]^0.6, while that of the fluorocyclization of γ-monosubstituted substrates was v = k[substrate][cat]^0.4. An exponent of less than 1 suggests the involvement of an aggregated state of the catalyst ion pair in the catalytic cycle. Interestingly, a positive nonlinear effect was observed in the reactions of the γ,γ-disubstituted substrates, while a negative nonlinear effect was observed in the case of the γ-monosubstituted substrates. Thus, the reaction pathway depends on the presence or absence of an alkyl substituent at the γ position of the substrates, and on the basis of our mechanistic studies we propose that the active catalytic species for γ,γ-disubstituted substrates is a catalyst ion pair aggregate, whereas that for γ-monosubstituted substrates is the more active monomeric catalyst ion pair species, even though its concentration would be low.

A general strategy for the synthesis of α-trifluoromethyl- and α-perfluoroalkyl-β-lactams via palladium-catalyzed carbonylation

β-Lactam compounds play a key role in medicinal chemistry, specifically as the most important class of antibiotics. Here, we report a novel one-step approach for the synthesis of α-(trifluoromethyl)-β-lactams and related products from fluorinated olefins, anilines and CO. Utilization of an advanced palladium catalyst system with the Ruphos ligand allows for selective cycloaminocarbonylations to give diverse fluorinated β-lactams in high yields.

Iodo(III)-Meyer-Schuster Rearrangement of Propargylic Alcohols Promoted by Benziodoxole Triflate

Benziodoxole triflate (BXT), a cyclic iodine(III) electrophile, has been found to promote a rearrangement of propargylic alcohols into α,β-unsaturated ketones bearing an α-λ³-iodanyl group. This iodo(III)-Meyer-Schuster rearrangement proceeds under mild conditions and tolerates a variety of functionalized propargylic alcohols, thus complementing previously reported halogen-intercepted Meyer-Schuster rearrangement. The α-λ³-iodanylenones can be utilized for facile Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling for the synthesis of multisubstituted enones.

Catalytically Generated Vanadium Enolates Formed via Interruption of the Meyer-Schuster Rearrangement as Useful Reactive Intermediates

Enolate chemistry is one of the most fundamental strategies for the formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. Classically, this has been accomplished through the use of stoichiometric quantities of strong base and cryogenic reaction temperatures. However, these techniques present issues related to enolate regioselectivity and functional group tolerance. While more modern methods utilizing stoichiometric activating agents have overcome some of these limitations, these processes add additional steps and suffer from poor atom economy. While certain classes of highly acidic nucleophiles have enabled the development of elegant and general catalytic solutions to address all of these limitations, functionalizing less acidic nucleophiles remains difficult.To overcome these challenges, we developed an alternative general approach for the formation and subsequent functionalization of metal enolates that leverages catalytic amounts of Lewis acid and entirely avoids the need for exogenous base or stoichiometric additives. To do so, we re-engineered the classical Meyer-Schuster rearrangement, which normally converts propargylic alcohols into α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. By careful control of reaction conditions and by selection of an appropriate vanadium-oxo catalyst, the transient metal enolates formed via the 1,3-transposition of propargylic or allenylic alcohols can be guided away from simple protonation reaction pathways and toward more synthetically productive carbon-carbon, carbon-halogen, and carbon-nitrogen bond-forming processes.By utilizing readily available propargylic and allenylic alcohols as our starting materials and relying on a catalytic 1,3-transposition to generate metal enolates in situ, all issues related to the regioselectivity of enolate formation are resolved. Likewise, utilization of a simple isomerization for enolate formation results in a highly efficient process that can be 100% atom economical. The mild reaction conditions employed also allow for remarkable chemoselectivity. Functional groups not typically conducive to enolate chemistry, such as alkynyl ketones, methyl ketones, free alcohols, and primary alkyl halides, are all well tolerated. Finally, by varying the substitution patterns of the alcohol starting materials, enolates of ketones, esters, and even amides are all accessible.Utilizing this strategy starting from propargylic alcohols, we have developed functionalization reactions that produce highly substituted and geometrically defined α-functionalized α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. Such processes include aldol, Mannich, and electrophilic halogenation reactions, as well as dual catalytic reactions wherein catalytically generated vanadium enolates are trapped with catalytically generated palladium π-allyl electrophiles. In the case of allenylic alcohols, we have developed complementary aldol, Mannich, halogenation, and dual catalytic processes to generate α'-functionalized α,β-unsaturated carbonyl products.The results described in this work showcase the power and generality of our alternative approach to enolate chemistry. Additionally, we point out unaddressed challenges in the field and invite other groups to help innovate in these areas.

Fluorofunctionalizations of C-C Multiple Bonds and C-H Bonds

In spite of only a few naturally occurring products having one or more fluorine atoms, organofluorine compounds have been widely utilized in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and functional material science fields due to the characteristic properties of the fluorine atom. Therefore, the development of new methods for the introduction of fluorine-containing functional groups has been a long-standing research topic. This article discusses our contributions to this area. The first topic is on the trifluoromethylations of C-C multiple bonds using Togni reagent based on our working hypothesis that hypervalent iodine could be activated by coordination of the carbonyl moiety to the Lewis acid catalyst. The second topic relates to asymmetric fluorofunctionalization of alkenes. A newly designed phase-transfer catalyst consisting of a carboxylate anion functioning as a phase-transfer agent and a primary hydroxyl group as a site that captures the anionic substrate was revealed to be an effective catalyst for asymmetric fluorolactonization. Inspired by the mechanistic studies of fluorolactonization, we produced a linked binaphthyl dicarboxylate catalyst, which catalyzes the 6-endo-fluorocyclization and the deprotonative fluorination of allylic amides in a highly enantioselective manner. The third topic is on C-H fluorofunctionalizations using either catalysis or photoactivation. Benzylic trifluoromethylation, which is still a rare reaction, using Togni reagent and aromatic C-H trifluoromethylation using Umemoto reagent under simple photoirradiation conditions were achieved. In addition, the Csp³-H fluorination of alkyl phthalimide derivatives is demonstrated.

Desymmetrization of Bisallylic Amides through Catalytic Enantioselective Bromocyclization with BINAP Monoxide

We report the first desymmetrization of bisallylic amides by enantioselective bromocyclization with BINAP monoxide as a catalyst. Depending upon the substitution pattern of the alkene moieties, densely functionalized, optically active oxazoline or dihydrooxazine compounds were obtained in a highly stereoselective manner. The remaining alkene moiety was subjected to various functional group manipulations to afford a diverse array of chiral molecules with multiple stereogenic centers.

BF3·OEt2-mediated syn-selective Meyer-Schuster rearrangement of phenoxy propargyl alcohols for Z-β-aryl-α,β-unsaturated esters

Synthesis of Z-β-aryl-α,β-unsaturated esters from readily available 1-aryl-3-phenoxy propargyl alcohols is achieved via a BF3-mediated syn-selective Meyer-Schuster rearrangement under ambient conditions. The reaction mechanism is postulated to involve an electrophilic borylation of an allene intermediate as the key step to kinetically control the stereoselectivity.

Difunctionalization of Alkenes Using 1-Chloro-1,2-benziodoxol-3-(1H)-one

Difunctionalization of alkenes with 1-chloro-1,2-benziodoxol-3-(1H)-one (1) was investigated. Various additional nucleophiles were tested, and oxychlorination, dichlorination, azidochlorination, chlorothiocyanation, and iodoesterfication were demonstrated. The oxychlorination product was obtained efficiently when the reaction was operated in water. Dichlorination occurred in the presence of a Lewis basic promoter, such as 4-phenylpyridine N-oxide, as an additive. The reaction with in situ-generated azido anion afforded azidochlorinated compounds with a chlorine atom at the terminal position, while the reaction with trimethylsilyl isothiocyanate produced chlorothiocyanation adducts with a chlorine atom at the benzylic position. On the other hand, when 1 was treated with tetra-n-butylammonium iodide prior to the addition of alkenes, only iodoesterification occurred selectively. These mild reactions enable convenient site-selective difunctionalizations of substrates having two alkene moieties. NMR experiments suggested that the electrophilic reactive species in each reaction varied depending on the nature of the added nucleophile.

Cu-Catalyzed C-H Trifluoromethylation of 3-Arylprop-1-ynes for the Selective Construction of Allenic Csp(2)-CF3 and Propargyl Csp(3)-CF3 Bonds

A new method has been developed for the Cu-catalyzed C-H trifluoromethylation of 3-arylprop-1-ynes for the selective construction of allenic Csp(2)-CF3 and propargyl Csp(3)-CF3 bonds. The selective formation of allenic Csp(2)-CF3 and propargyl Csp(3)-CF3 bonds can be controlled by modifying the reaction conditions.

Product Control in Alkene Trifluoromethylation: Hydrotrifluoromethylation, Vinylic Trifluoromethylation, and Iodotrifluoromethylation using Togni Reagent

Hydrotrifluoromethylation, vinylic trifluoromethylation, and iodotrifluoromethylation of simple alkenes have been achieved by using Togni reagent in the absence of any transition metal catalyst. These reactions were readily controllable by selection of appropriate salts and solvents. The addition of K2CO3 afforded the hydrotrifluoromethylation product, with DMF acting not only as a solvent, but also as the hydrogen source. In contrast, the use of tetra-n-butylammonium iodide (TBAI) in 1,4-dioxane resulted in vinylic trifluoromethylation, while the use of KI afforded the iodotrifluoromethylation product. The vinylic trifluoromethylation product was obtained by treatment of the iodotrifluoromethylation product with ammonium 2-iodobenzoate, indicating that it was formed through an elimination reaction of the in-situ-generated iodotrifluoromethylation product, and the solubility of the resulting 2-iodobenzoate salt plays a key role in the product switching. A radical-clock experiment showed that these reactions proceed via radical intermediates.

Benzylic C–H trifluoromethylation of phenol derivatives

Phenol derivatives were trifluoromethylated using copper/Togni reagent. Reaction in DMF selectively gave benzylic trifluoromethylation products, whereas aromatic trifluoromethylation products were obtained in t-BuOH.