Simple Synthesis of β-Trifluoromethylstyrenes Using (E)-Trimethyl-(3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-enyl)silane

Ru(II)-Catalyzed Hydroarylation of in situ Generated 3,3,3-Trifluoro-1-propyne by C-H Bond Activation: A Facile and Practical Access to β-Trifluoromethylstyrenes

In this study, a practical and straightforward synthesis of β-(E)-trifluoromethylstyrenes by ruthenium-catalyzed C-H bond activation was developed. The readily available and inexpensive 2-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (BTP), a non-ozone depleting reagent, was used as a reservoir of 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne. With this approach, the monofunctionalization of a panel of heteroarenes was possible in a safe and scalable manner (23 examples, up to 87 % yield). Mechanistic investigations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were also conducted to get a better understanding of the mechanism of this transformation. These studies suggested that 1) a cyclometallated ruthenium complex enabled the transformation, 2) this complex exhibited high efficiency in this transformation compared to the commercially available [RuCl2 (p-cymene)]2 and 3) the mechanism proceeded through a bis-cyclometallated ruthenium intermediate for the carboruthenation step.

Synthesis of Small Fluorescent Molecules and Evaluation of Photophysical Properties

A series of aniline-based fluorophores were newly synthesized. To increase their fluorescence quantum yields, it was particularly important to substitute 3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-enyl (TFPE) groups next to the amino group to benefit from an extended π-electron delocalization. Among these, 5-CN-2-TFPE-aniline was found to behave as an excellent fluorophore with a reasonable fluorescence quantum yield of 0.89 even in aqueous solution. l-Alanine peptide, a nonfluorescent analogue of 5-CN-2-TFPE-aniline, was synthesized and successfully employed as an enzyme probe to detect aminopeptidase N activity.

[Approach for Producing New 3,3,3-Trifluoropropenylation Reagents: Introduction of a 3,3,3-Trifluoroprop-1-enyl Group for Drug Development]

The chemistry of the 3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-enyl (TFPE) group has attractive characteristics in medicinal chemistry as a new fluorine motif. However, there are no reports on the properties of this group because it is difficult to construct molecules with it. For the convenient construction of the TFPE group, a new fluorination reagent, CF₃CH=CHTMS (1), was developed from commercially available chemicals with easy purification processes and excellent yields. The utility of 1 as a trifluoropropenylation reagent was exhibited in several types of reaction such as the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. Furthermore an indometacin analogue bearing a TFPE group showed greater pharmaceutical activity than the original indometacin. This review describes the details of these research studies under three topics: 1) synthesis of 1; 2) Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of 1 with acetylene, followed by cyclization into an indole ring; and 3) synthesis of an indometacin analogue with a TFPE group.

Syntheses of 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylidene)/(2,2-difluoroethyl)-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and their fungicidal activities

A Knoevenagel-type reaction of 1,3-diketone substrates with trifluoroacetic/difluoroacetic anhydride for the synthesis of 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylidene)/(2,2-difluoroethyl)-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds has been developed.

Palladium-catalyzed geometrically selective hydrogenation of (Z)-trifluoromethyl alkenyl triflate: an efficient approach to (Z) or (E)-3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl derivatives

Synthesis of (Z)- or (E)-3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl derivatives with excellent divergent geometric control via hydrogenation of (Z)-trifluoromethyl alkenyl triflates.

Copper-catalyzed fluoroalkylation of alkynes, and alkynyl & vinyl carboxylic acids with fluoroalkyl halides

Copper-catalyzed fluoroalkylation of alkynes and alkynyl carboxylic acids has been achieved with high functional-group tolerance and excellent regio- and stereoselectivities.

A dramatic enhancing effect of InBr3 towards the oxidative Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of 2-ethynylanilines

The addition of InBr3 to the oxidative Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of 2-ethynylaniline with (E)-trimethyl(3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-enyl)silane led to a dramatic increase in the reactivity to afford the corresponding 1,3-enynes bearing a trifluoromethyl group on their terminal sp(2) carbon. The subsequent cyclization of these 1,3-enynes under palladium catalysis provides access to the corresponding indoles bearing a 3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-enyl group at their 2-position.

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.

Facile synthesis of 1-trifluoromethylalkenes via the decarboxylation of α-trifluoromethyl-β-lactones

DCC-mediated cyclodehydration of α-trifluoromethyl-β-hydroxy acids provides α-trifluoromethylated β-lactone intermediates, without loss of stereoselectivity. These lactones undergo facile decarboxylation providing a simple route to obtain both alkyl and aryl 1-trifluoromethyl alkenes in excellent yields and stereoselectivity.

One-pot synthesis of 1,3-enynes with a CF3 group on the terminal sp2 carbon by an oxidative Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction

One-pot synthesis of 1,3-enynes with a CF₃ group on the terminal sp² carbon was achieved by an oxidative Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction with (E)-trimethyl(3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-enyl)silane.

Trifluoromethylation of alkenes with concomitant introduction of additional functional groups

The trifluoromethyl group is found in many synthetic bioactive compounds, and the difunctionalization of a C=C bond, as a powerful strategy for the construction of compounds with various functional groups, has been intensively investigated. Therefore, the difunctionalizing trifluoromethylation of alkenes has attracted growing interest because of the potential of the products as building blocks for bioactive molecules. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the trifluoromethylation of alkenes with concomitant introduction of additional functional groups.

Direct C-H trifluoromethylation of di- and trisubstituted alkenes by photoredox catalysis

Background: Trifluoromethylated alkene scaffolds are known as useful structural motifs in pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals as well as functional organic materials. But reported synthetic methods usually require multiple synthetic steps and/or exhibit limitation with respect to access to tri- and tetrasubstituted CF₃-alkenes. Thus development of new methodologies for facile construction of C_alkenyl–CF₃ bonds is highly demanded.

Results: The photoredox reaction of alkenes with 5-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzo[b,d]thiophenium tetrafluoroborate, Umemoto’s reagent, as a CF₃ source in the presence of [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ catalyst (bpy = 2,2’-bipyridine) under visible light irradiation without any additive afforded CF₃-substituted alkenes via direct C_alkenyl–H trifluoromethylation. 1,1-Di- and trisubstituted alkenes were applicable to this photocatalytic system, providing the corresponding multisubstituted CF₃-alkenes. In addition, use of an excess amount of the CF₃ source induced double C–H trifluoromethylation to afford geminal bis(trifluoromethyl)alkenes.

Conclusion: A range of multisubstituted CF₃-alkenes are easily accessible by photoredox-catalyzed direct C–H trifluoromethylation of alkenes under mild reaction conditions. In particular, trifluoromethylation of triphenylethene derivatives, from which synthetically valuable tetrasubstituted CF₃-alkenes are obtained, have never been reported so far. Remarkably, the present facile and straightforward protocol is extended to double trifluoromethylation of alkenes.

Oxidative 3,3,3-trifluoropropylation of arylaldehydes

A reaction between (E)-trimethyl(3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-en-1-yl)silane (1) and arylaldehydes 2 was triggered by fluoride anions to afford aryl 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl ketones 3 in moderate to good yield. A mechanistic study of this reaction indicated that it occurred via an allyl alkoxide (4). A subsequent 1,3-proton shift of the benzylic proton of 4 forms 3. This reaction involves oxidative 3,3,3-trifluoropropylation of an arylaldehyde to afford 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-arylbutan-1-one.

Julia-Kocienski Approach to Trifluoromethyl-Substituted Alkenes1

A Julia-Kocienski approach to trifluoromethyl-substituted alkenes was evaluated in the reactions of 1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl, 1-phenyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl, and 1-tbutyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl sulfones with aldehydes. Among the various conditions tested, the best yields were obtained with 1-phenyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl sulfone, in CsF-mediated, room temperature olefinations in DMSO. Aromatic aldehydes gave (trifluoromethyl)vinyl derivatives in 23-86% yields, with generally moderate stereoselectivity. Straightforward synthesis of the Julia-Kocienski reagent, and conversion to trifluoromethyl-substituted alkenes under mild reaction conditions, are the advantages of this approach.

Introduction of fluorine and fluorine-containing functional groups

Over the past decade, the most significant, conceptual advances in the field of fluorination were enabled most prominently by organo- and transition-metal catalysis. The most challenging transformation remains the formation of the parent C-F bond, primarily as a consequence of the high hydration energy of fluoride, strong metal-fluorine bonds, and highly polarized bonds to fluorine. Most fluorination reactions still lack generality, predictability, and cost-efficiency. Despite all current limitations, modern fluorination methods have made fluorinated molecules more readily available than ever before and have begun to have an impact on research areas that do not require large amounts of material, such as drug discovery and positron emission tomography. This Review gives a brief summary of conventional fluorination reactions, including those reactions that introduce fluorinated functional groups, and focuses on modern developments in the field.