Non-catalytic conversion of C–F bonds of gem-difluoromethylene derivatives to C–H bonds with lithium aluminum hydride under room temperature

Activation of C–F bonds α to C–C multiple bonds

A closer look is given to the successful approaches to the C(sp³)–F activation of benzylic, allylic, propargylic and allenylic fluorides.

Exploration of a potential difluoromethyl-nucleoside substrate with the fluorinase enzyme

The investigation of a difluoromethyl-bearing nucleoside with the fluorinase enzyme is described. 5',5'-Difluoro-5'-deoxyadenosine 7 (F2DA) was synthesised from adenosine, and found to bind to the fluorinase enzyme by isothermal titration calorimetry with similar affinity compared to 5'-fluoro-5'-deoxyadenosine 2 (FDA), the natural product of the enzymatic reaction. F2DA7 was found, however, not to undergo the enzyme catalysed reaction with L-selenomethionine, unlike FDA 2, which undergoes reaction with L-selenomethionine to generate Se-adenosylselenomethionine. A co-crystal structure of the fluorinase and F2DA7 and tartrate was solved to 1.8Å, and revealed that the difluoromethyl group bridges interactions known to be essential for activation of the single fluorine in FDA 2. An unusual hydrogen bonding interaction between the hydrogen of the difluoromethyl group and one of the hydroxyl oxygens of the tartrate ligand was also observed. The bridging interactions, coupled with the inherently stronger C-F bond in the difluoromethyl group, offers an explanation for why no reaction is observed.

Synthesis of monofluoroalkenes through selective hydrodefluorination of gem-difluoroalkenes with Red-Al®

A practical approach for the selective hydrodefluorination of gem-difluoroalkenes using Red-Al® as reductant at room temperature in CH₂Cl₂ was reported. Monofluoroalkenes were obtained in moderate to high yields with good E-selectivity.