Issue 12, 2015

Photocatalytic C–F alkylation; facile access to multifluorinated arenes

Abstract

C–F functionalizations that provide C–C bonds are challenging synthetic transformations, due in part to the large C–F bond strength, short bond length, nonpolarizable nature, the production of fluoride, and the regioselectivity-in the case of multifluorinated substrates. However, commercially available highly fluorinated arenes possess great synthetic potential because they already possess the C–F bonds in the desired locations that would be difficult to selectively fluorinate. In order to take advantage of this potential, selective C–F functionalizations must be developed. Herein, we disclose conditions for the photocatalytic reductive alkylation of highly fluorinated arenes with ubiquitous and unactivated alkenes. The mild reaction conditions provide for a broad functional group scope, and the reaction is remarkably efficient using just 0.25 mol% catalyst. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of the strategy by converting highly fluorinated arenes to elaborate (hetero)arenes that contain 2–5 Caryl–F bonds via synergistic use of photocatalysis and SNAr chemistry.

Graphical abstract: Photocatalytic C–F alkylation; facile access to multifluorinated arenes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
13 Aug 2015
Accepted
14 Sep 2015
First published
29 Sep 2015
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2015,6, 7206-7212

Photocatalytic C–F alkylation; facile access to multifluorinated arenes

A. Singh, J. J. Kubik and J. D. Weaver, Chem. Sci., 2015, 6, 7206 DOI: 10.1039/C5SC03013G

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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