Photoinduced synthesis and biological investigation of aryl trifluoromethyl tellurides

Abstract

A green-light-induced trifluoromethyltellurolation of arylsulfonium salts with the least studied [Me₄N][TeCF₃] reagent is reported for the synthesis of aryl trifluoromethyl tellurides. The reaction proceeded smoothly under visible-light irradiation and allowed conversion of a variety of arenes, including drug molecules, to form the corresponding CF₃Te-substituted products in good yields. Advantages of the method include mildness, catalyst- and additive-free conditions, broad functional group tolerance, a wide range of substrates, compatibility with different types of sulfonium salts as aryl transfer platforms, and convenient synthesis of complex aryl trifluoromethyl tellurides that are difficult to obtain by other methods. The biological evaluation by MTT assays with HeLa and 4T1 cell lines unveiled that some of the TeCF₃-containing products have excellent anti-tumor activity, implying the great application potential of the TeCF₃ moiety in life sciences. This work presents the first photoinduced synthesis and biological investigation of CF₃Te-containing compounds.