Transannular additions of selectfluor and xenon difluoride: regioselectivity and mechanism

Synthesis of 1,2-Disubstituted Adamantane Derivatives by Construction of the Adamantane Framework

This review summarizes achievements in the synthesis of 1,2-disubstituted adamantane derivatives by the construction of the tricyclic framework either by total synthesis or by ring expansion/contraction reactions of corresponding adamantane homologues. It is intended to complement reviews focusing on the preparation of 1,2-disubstituted derivatives by C-H functionalization methods.

The Electrophilic Fluorination of Enol Esters Using SelectFluor: A Polar Two-Electron Process

The reaction of enol esters with SelectFluor is facile and leads to the corresponding α-fluoroketones under mild conditions and, as a result, this route is commonly employed for the synthesis of medicinally important compounds such as fluorinated steroids. However, despite the use of this methodology in synthesis, the mechanism of this reaction and the influence of structure on reactivity are unclear. A rigorous mechanistic study of the fluorination of these substrates is presented, informed primarily by detailed and robust kinetic experiments. The results of this study implicate a polar two-electron process via an oxygen-stabilised carbenium species, rather than a single-electron process involving radical intermediates. The structure-reactivity relationships revealed here will assist synthetic chemists in deploying this type of methodology in the syntheses of α-fluoroketones.

Metal-free 18F-labeling of aryl-CF2H via nucleophilic radiofluorination and oxidative C-H activation

A metal-free and selective method to form [18F]aryl-CF2H through nucleophilic radiofluorination of benzyl (pseudo)halides and oxidative C-H activation of benzylic C-H bonds has been developed. The method is operationally simple and tolerates a variety of electron-neutral/deficient arenes and heteroarenes.

Theoretical study on the mechanism of selective fluorination of aromatic compounds with Selectfluor

The selective fluorination of aromatic compounds with Selectfluor has been studied theoretically. Our calculations indicate that the fluorine bond contributes to the stabilization of the π complexes, and the SET mechanism is preferred over the S_N2 mechanism.

Mechanism of Electrophilic Fluorination with Pd(IV): Fluoride Capture and Subsequent Oxidative Fluoride Transfer

Electrophilic fluorinating reagents derived from fluoride are desirable for the synthesis of 18F-labeled molecules for positron emission tomography (PET). Here, we study the mechanism by which a Pd(IV)-complex captures fluoride and subsequently transfers it to nucleophiles. The intermediate Pd(IV)-F is formed with high rates even at the nano- to micromolar fluoride concentrations typical for radiosyntheses with 18F due to fast formation of an outer-sphere complex between fluoride and Pd(IV). The subsequent fluorine transfer from the Pd(IV)-F complex is proposed to proceed through an unusual SET/fluoride transfer/SET mechanism. The findings detailed in this manuscript provide a theoretical foundation suitable for addressing a more general approach for electrophilic fluorination with high specific activity 18F PET imaging.

Palladium(III)-catalyzed fluorination of arylboronic acid derivatives

A practical, palladium-catalyzed synthesis of aryl fluorides from arylboronic acid derivatives is presented. The reaction is operationally simple and amenable to multigram-scale synthesis. Evaluation of the reaction mechanism suggests a single-electron-transfer pathway, involving a Pd(III) intermediate that has been isolated and characterized.

A polycomponent metal-catalyzed aliphatic, allylic, and benzylic fluorination

A group effort: Reported is the title reaction using a polycomponent catalytic system involving commercially available Selectfluor, a putative radical precursor N-hydroxyphthalimide, an anionic phase-transfer catalyst (KB(C(6)F(5))(4)), and a copper(I) bis(imine). The catalyst system formed leads to monofluorinated compounds selectively (see example) without the necessity for an excess of the alkane substrate.