Kinetics of Electrophilic Fluorination of Steroids and Epimerisation of Fluorosteroids

Development of N-F fluorinating agents and their fluorinations: Historical perspective

This review deals with the historical development of all N-F fluorinating agents developed so far. The unique properties of fluorine make fluorinated organic compounds attractive in many research areas and therefore fluorinating agents are important. N-F agents have proven useful by virtue of their easy handling. This reagent class includes many types of N-F compounds: perfluoro-N-fluoropiperidine, N-fluoro-2-pyridone, N-fluoro-N-alkylarenesulfonamides, N-fluoropyridinium salts and derivatives, N-fluoroquinuclidium salts, N-fluoro-trifluoromethanesulfonimide, N-fluoro-sultams, N-fluoro-benzothiazole dioxides, N-fluoro-lactams, N-fluoro-o-benzenedisulfonimide, N-fluoro-benzenesulfonimide, 1-alkyl-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane salts, N-fluoropyridinium-2-sulfonate derivatives, 1-fluoro-4-hydroxy-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane salts, N-fluorodinitroimidazole, N-fluoro-trichloro-1,3,5-triazinium salt, N-F ethano-Tröger’s base derivatives, N-fluoro-methanesulfonimide, N-fluoro-N-arylarenesulfonamides, bisN-F salts such as N,N’-difluorobipyridinium salts and N,N’-difluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane salts, and their many derivatives and analogs, including chiral N-F reagents such as optically active N-fluoro-sultam derivatives, N-fluoro-alkaloid derivatives, DABCO-based N-F derivatives, and N-F binaphthyldisulfonimides. The synthesis and reactions of these reagents are described chronologically and the review also discusses the relative fluorination power of each reagent and their mechanisms chronicling developments from a historical perspective.

Reactivities of electrophilic N-F fluorinating reagents

Electrophilic fluorination represents one of the most direct and useful methods available for the selective introduction of fluorine into organic compounds. Electrophilic fluorinating reagents of the N-F class have revolutionised the incorporation of fluorine atoms into both pharmaceutically- and agrochemically-important substrates. Since the earliest N-F reagents were commercialised in the 1990s, their reactivities have been investigated using qualitative and, more recently, quantitative methods. This review discusses the different experimental approaches employed to determine reactivities of N-F reagents, focussing on the kinetics studies reported in recent years. We make critical evaluations of the experimental approaches against each other, theoretical approaches, and their applicability towards practical problems. The opportunities for achieving more efficient synthetic electrophilic fluorination processes through kinetic understanding are highlighted.

Cooperative Noncovalent Interactions Lead to a Highly Diastereoselective Sulfonyl-Directed Fluorination of Steroidal α,β-Unsaturated Hydrazones

A series of steroidal α,β-unsaturated hydrazones is presented whose behavior and reactivity are governed by various types of weak C-H hydrogen bonds. Several interesting features in a representative X-ray crystal structure and ¹H NMR spectrum are examined that provide evidence for a unique bifurcated intramolecular C-H interaction. Moreover, these steroid derivatives undergo functionalization in the form of a highly regio- and stereoselective fluorination; the sulfonyl oxygen atoms are proposed to direct the fluorinating reagent through C-H hydrogen bonds.