Visible Light Induced Oxydifluoromethylation of Styrenes with Difluoromethyltriphenylphosphonium Bromide

Fluoroalkyl sulfides as photoredox-active coupling reagents for alkene difunctionalization

A visible-light-promoted fluoroalkylation-thiolation of alkenes is described.

Recent progress in photochemical radical di- and mono-fluoromethylation

Recently, photoinduced radical difluoromethylation has emerged as a step-economical synthetic method of CHF2-containing compounds. In this article, difluoromethylation of alkenes, isonitriles and aryl bromides promoted by photoredox catalysis is described together with a non-catalytic photoinduced system. Representative reactions will be discussed for each highlighted difluoromethylating reagent. In addition, related monofluoromethylation with their corresponding monofluoromethylating reagents is also discussed.

Electrochemical Difluoromethylation of Electron-Deficient Alkenes

Electrochemical 1,2-hydroxydifluoromethylation and C-H difluoromethylation of acrylamides were developed by using CF₂ HSO₂ NHNHBoc as the source of the CF₂ H group. These electricity-powered oxidative alkene functionalization reactions do not need transition-metal catalysts or chemical oxidants. The reaction outcome, 1,2-difuntionalization or C-H functionalization, is determined by the substituents on the amide nitrogen atom of the acrylamides instead of by the reaction conditions.

Progress in Difluoroalkylation of Organic Substrates by Visible Light Photoredox Catalysis

The selective incorporation of fluorinated motifs, in particular CF2FG (FG=a functional group) and CF2H groups, into organic compounds has attrracted increasing attention since organofluorine molecules are of the utmost importance in the areas of nuclear imaging, pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and material sciences. A variety of synthetic approaches has been employed in late-stage difluoroalkylation reactions. Visible light photoredox catalysis for the production of CF2FG and CF2H radicals has provided a more sustainable alternative to other conventional radical-triggered reactions from the viewpoint of safety, cost, availability, and "green" chemistry. A wide range of difluoroalkylating reagents has been successfully implemented in these organic transformations in the presence of transition metal complexes or organic photocatalysts. In most cases, upon excitation via visible light irradiation with fluorescent light bulbs or blue light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, these photocatalysts can act as both reductive and oxidative quenchers, thus enabling the application of electron-donor or electron-acceptor difluoroalkylating reagents for the generation of CF2FG and CF2H radicals. Subsequent radical addition to substrates and additional organic transformations afford the corresponding difluoroalkylated derivatives. The present review describes the distinct strategies for the transition metal- and organic-photocatalyzed difluoroalkylation of a broad range of organic substrates by visible light irradiation reported in the literature since 2014.

Electrochemically Promoted Fluoroalkylation-Distal Functionalization of Unactivated Alkenes

Difunctionalization of olefins represents a powerful synthetic tool and yet a challenging task. This work describes an electrochemically enabled fluoroalkylation-migration reaction of unactivated olefins in the absence of a strong oxidant or heavy metal catalyst, affording fluorinated (hetero)aryl ketones in good yields and excellent regioselectivities. The efficient and sustainable electrochemical strategy provides a rapid access to a dual functionalized fluorine-containing heterocyclic manifold.

Visible-light-induced radical hydrodifluoromethylation of alkenes

Visible-light-induced radical hydrodifluoromethylation of alkenes with the phosphonium salt [Ph₃P⁺CF₂H Br⁻] under transition-metal-free conditions is described.

Synthesis of Elongated Esters from Alkenes

A convenient method for synthesizing elongated aliphatic esters from alkenes is reported. An (alkoxycarbonyl)methyl radical species is generated upon visible-light irradiation of an ester-stabilized phosphorus ylide in the presence of a photoredox catalyst. This radical species adds onto the carbon-carbon double bond of an alkene to produce an elongated aliphatic ester.

Photocatalyzed Intermolecular Aminodifluoromethylphosphonation of Alkenes: Facile Synthesis of α,α-Difluoro-γ-aminophosphonates

An efficient and practical method for the synthesis of α,α-difluoro-γ-aminophosphonates through photocatalyzed intermolecular aminodifluoromethylphosphonation of alkenes has been developed. In this reaction, difluoromethylphosphonate is used as an important fluorinated reagent. Furthermore, the mild reaction conditions, simple operation, and broad substrate scope make this protocol very practical and attractive. The derivatization reaction in the synthesis of difluoromethylphosphonated chiral binaphthylamine ligands and α,α-difluoro-γ-aminophosphoric acid highlight the applicability of this method.

Difluorocarbene as a Building Block for Consecutive Bond-Forming Reactions

Compounds containing a difluoromethylene unit have gained increasing attention due to their utility in drug design. Classic methods for the synthesis of these compounds rely on either harsh deoxofluorination reactions or laborious functional group manipulation sequences. In 2013, we proposed a method for assembling gem-difluorinated molecules from a difluorocarbene, a nucleophile, and an electrophile. In this process, a difluorocarbene can be considered an equivalent of a bipolar CF₂ unit. Performing consecutive bond-forming reactions by sequential attachment of a nucleophile and an electrophile to a difluorocarbene provides the opportunity for the synthesis of a wide variety of organofluorine compounds. Silicon reagents were the most effective sources of the difluoromethylene fragment, and among them (bromodifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane (Me₃SiCF₂Br) is the reagent of choice. Mildly basic activators such HMPA, DMPU, bromide and acetate ions can initiate the decomposition of the silane with concomitant generation of a difluorocarbene. Organozinc reagents can be employed as nucleophiles, and the CF₂ fragment can insert into the carbon-zinc bond. Primary and secondary benzyl and alkyl organozinc compounds work well. Generally, organozinc reagents tolerate a variety of functional groups. The resulting fluorinated organozinc species can be coupled with heteroatom- or carbon-centered electrophiles. Halogenation of the carbon-zinc bond leads to compounds with bromo- or iododifluoromethyl fragments, which are difficult to access by other means, whereas protonation of that bond generates a valuable difluoromethyl group. Despite the decrease in the reactivity of the carbon-zinc bond caused by the adjacent fluorines, organozinc compounds can effectively participate in copper-catalyzed cross-couplings with allylic and propargyl halides, 1-bromoalkynes, and S-acyl dithiocarbamates. Difluorocarbene can be inserted into the carbon-silicon bond of trimethylsilyl cyanide, and the resulting silane can react with aldehydes and imines to furnish difluorinated nitriles. Interactions of difluorocarbene with heteroatom nucleophiles, such as phosphines or halide ions, are reversible, but the adduct can be trapped by an electrophile. The use of halide ions allows the direct nucleophilic bromo- and iododifluoromethylation of aldehydes and iminium ions. The combination of triphenylphosphine with difluorocarbene generates a difluorinated phosphorus ylide, which can interact with a wide range of π-electrophiles (aldehydes, ketones, acyl chlorides, azomethines, and Michael acceptors) to provide gem-difluorinated phosphonium salts. In the latter species, the carbon-phosphorus bond can be readily cleaved under basic conditions, affording the difluoromethylation products. Primary products resulting from three-component couplings can subsequently be used for further transformations. Single-electron reduction of carbon-phosphorus or carbon-iodine bonds can be conducted under photocatalytic conditions to generate gem-difluorinated radicals. These radicals can be trapped by silyl enol ethers leading to β,β-difluorinated ketones as the primary products. Fluorinated radicals can also undergo intramolecular attacks adjacent to an aromatic ring or a double bond.

Electrochemical Difluoromethylarylation of Alkynes

An unprecedented radical difluoromethylarylation reaction of alkynes has been developed by discovering a new difluoromethylation reagent, CF₂HSO₂NHNHBoc. This air-stable and solid reagent can be prepared in one step from commercially available reagents CF₂HSO₂Cl and NH₂NHBoc. The CF₂H radical, generated through ferrocene-mediated electrochemical oxidation, participates in an unexplored alkyne addition reaction followed by a challenging 7-membered ring-forming homolytic aromatic substitution step to afford fluorinated dibenzazepines.

Photoredox 1,2-dicarbofunctionalization of unactivated alkenes via tandem radical difluoroalkylation and alkynyl migration

Visible-light-mediated tandem radical difluoroalkylation and alkynylation of unactivated alkenes is described. It comprises a mild C–C bond activation via intramolecular 1,4-radical alkynyl migration.

Cu-Catalyzed Aminodifluoroalkylation of Alkynes and α-Bromodifluoroacetamides

The copper-catalyzed highly regioselective aminodifluoroalkylation of alkynes and α-bromodifluoroacetamides was realized for the first time. With this method, 3,3-difluoro-1H-pyrrol-2(3H)-ones were constructed in a single step from various alkynes and α-bromodifluoroacetamides substrates without using any extra oxidant.

Visible-light induced di- and trifluoromethylation of N-benzamides with fluorinated sulfones for the synthesis of CF2H/CF3-containing isoquinolinediones

A photocatalytic radical di- or trifluoromethylation/cyclization of methacryloyl benzamides with fluorinated sulfones provided an efficient route to CF₂H/CF₃-containing isoquinoline-1,3(2H,4H)-diones.

Visible-light-mediated direct difluoromethylation of alkynoates: synthesis of 3-difluoromethylated coumarins

A photoredox-catalyzed direct difluoromethylation of alkynoates has been developed.

Ag(i)-Catalyzed oxidative decarboxylation of difluoroacetates with activated alkenes to form difluorooxindoles

A silver-catalyzed oxidative decarboxylative gem-difluoromethylenation of difluoroacetates with activated alkenes to gem-difluoromethylenated oxindoles.