Synthesis of chiral difluorinated [6]-gingerol

A new, mild, and efficient synthesis of 2,2-difluoro-3-hydroxyacids through a selective haloform reaction

[reaction: see text] Long-chain 2,2-difluoro-3-hydroxyacids have been synthesized in a new, straightforward manner by treatment of 4-hydroxy-1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoroalkyl ketones, easily obtained by reaction of pentafluoroenolate 2 with aldehydes and ketones, with base under mild conditions. The reaction sequence is marked by the selective cleavage of the CO-CF3 bond, as well as the absence of products arising from the alternative CO-CF2R bond cleavage. The process represents a convenient approach for the synthesis of 2,2-difluoro-3-hydroxyacids, as it is short, provides good to excellent yields under mild conditions, and uses hexafluoro-2-propanol, a very cheap reagent, as the fluorine source.

Mixed organofluorine-organosilicon chemistry. 13. One-pot synthesis of difluoroaldols from acylsilanes and trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane. application to the synthesis of a difluoro analogue of egomaketone

Difluoroaldol compounds 3 were synthesized in a one-pot procedure involving an acylsilane 1, trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane (TFMTMS), and an aldehyde. The key intermediate of this reaction is a difluoroenoxysilane 2. Ytterbium triflate proved to be a very efficient catalyst for promoting the aldol type reaction under very mild conditions. The potential of this reaction for the convergent synthesis of difluorinated compounds was illustrated by the synthesis of difluoroegomaketone 7d through dehydration of the corresponding aldol compound 3d.