Asymmetric Fluorocyclization of Difluoroalkenes with Concomitant Formation of a Trifluoromethyl Group

Asymmetric electrophilic fluorination of difluoroalkenes remains undeveloped because of the poor reactivity of difluoroalkenes with electrophiles. However, such reactions, if feasible, are expected to be useful for the synthesis of chiral heterocyclic compounds with a trifluoromethyl group at the stereogenic center. In this Letter, we disclose the first example of asymmetric fluoroamide cyclization of difluoroalkenes using our dianionic phase-transfer catalyst. This reaction provides unique chiral trifluoromethylated oxazoline derivatives at a synthetically useful level.

Synthesis of Fluoro-, Monofluoromethyl-, Difluoromethyl-, and Trifluoromethyl-Substituted Three-Membered Rings

This Minireview describes recent advances toward the synthesis of fluoro-, monofluoromethyl-, difluoromethyl-, and trifluoromethyl-substituted three-membered rings such as cyclopropanes, aziridines, epoxides, episulfides, cyclopropenes, and 2 H-azirines. The main synthetic methodologies since 2016 for cyclopropanes and since 2010 for the other three-membered rings are reported.

Synthesis of Optically Active α-Trifluoromethylamines by Rearrangement of β-Amino-α-trifluoromethyl Alcohols

The synthesis of various optically active α-trifluoromethylamines has been realized from β-amino-α-trifluoromethyl alcohols via an aziridinium ion intermediate under kinetic conditions.

Catalytic Enantioselective Aza-Benzoin Reactions of Aldehydes with 2H-Azirines

The unprecedented enantioselective aza-benzoin reaction of aldehydes with 2H-azirines was developed by utilizing a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene as the catalyst. A wide range of corresponding aziridines can be obtained in good yields with high enantioselectivities. The obtained optically active aziridines should be useful in the synthesis of other valuable molecules.

Diastereoselective Ritter-like Reaction on Cyclic Trifluoromethylated N,O-Acetals Derived from l-Tartaric Acid

Despite the presence of the highly electron-withdrawing fluorinated substituent, cyclic α-trifluoromethylated N-acyliminium ions were successfully generated from fluorinated O-acetyl-N,O-acetal l-tartaric acid derivatives. The addition of nitriles on these intermediates occurred with high to excellent syn diastereoselectivity and led, in most cases, to oxazolines and amides as single diastereomers. The diastereoselectivity of the addition and the nature of the reaction product depend on the substituents on the hydroxyl groups of the tartaric acid scaffold. This methodology gave access to enantiopure, highly functionalized 5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrrolidin-2-one derivatives, bearing the fluorinated substituent on a tetrasubstituted carbon.

Trifluoromethyl nitrogen heterocycles: synthetic aspects and potential biological targets

The synthetic methodologies and the potential biological targets of α-trifluoromethylated nitrogen heterocycles are presented.

Synthesis of trifluoromethyl γ-aminophosphonates by nucleophilic aziridine ring opening

Phosphonated derivatives of trifluoromethyl aziridine were obtained with good yield from aziridine-2-carbaldehyde by two distinct methods, which resulted in different diastereoselectivities. Using thiols as nucleophiles ring opening reactions of trifluoromethylated derivatives of aziridine-2-phosphonates proceeded regio- and diastereoselectively, giving rise to γ-amino-γ-trifluoromethyl phosphonates.

Ring Contraction of 3-Hydroxy-3-(trifluoromethyl)piperidines: Synthesis of 2-Substituted 2-(Trifluoromethyl)pyrrolidines

A ring contraction of 3-hydroxy-3-(trifluoromethyl)piperidines was achieved via an aziridinium intermediate. This contraction facilitates the synthesis of a series of 2-substituted 2-(trifluoromethyl)pyrrolidines incorporating a quaternary center at the C2 position.

Selective synthesis of cis- and trans-2-(methyl/phenyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)aziridines and their regio- and stereospecific ring opening

A convenient and stereoselective approach toward cis- and trans-1-alkyl-2-(methyl/phenyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)aziridines was developed starting from the corresponding α,α,α-trifluoroketones via imination, α-chlorination, and hydride-induced ring closure. The reactivity of these newly synthesized nonactivated α-CF3-aziridines was evaluated by applying N-protonation or N-alkylation to effect regio- and stereospecific aziridine ring opening by oxygen, halogen, sulfur, and nitrogen nucleophiles. Furthermore, nonactivated α-CF3-aziridines were easily transformed into their activated analogues by replacing the N-benzyl protecting group with a N-tosyl group, rendering these α-CF3-aziridines much more susceptible to nucleophilic ring opening.

Selective synthesis of functionalized trifluoromethylated pyrrolidines, piperidines, and azepanes starting from 1-tosyl-2-(trifluoromethyl)aziridine

This paper reports on the generation and alkylation of the 1-tosyl-2-(trifluoromethyl)aziridin-2-yl anion with ω,ω'-dihaloalkanes, followed by a novel ring-expansion protocol toward 2-CF3-pyrrolidines, 2-CF3-piperidines, and 3-CF3-azepanes. A variety of halogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon nucleophiles was used to trigger this ring rearrangement, resulting in CF3-azaheterocycles bearing different types of functionalized side chains.

Chiral Brønsted acid-catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of CF3-substituted aziridines

A multicomponent organocatalyzed highly diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of CF(3)-substituted aziridines is described. This reaction of in situ generated CF(3)CHN(2) and aldimines was realized by chiral Brønsted acid catalysis. The utility of the products is illustrated by easy access to β-CF(3) isocysteine and aziridine-containing dipeptides.