Difluorocarbene-Induced Ring-Opening Difluoromethylation-Halogenation of Cyclic (Thio)Ethers with TMSCF2X (X=Br,Cl)**

The ring-opening difluoromethylation-halogenation of cyclic (thio)ethers is reported through a simple strategy relying on carbon-chalcogen bond activation with difluorocarbene. The reaction proceeds through in situ protonation of the previously little-known difluoromethylene oxonium or sulfonium ylide intermediate followed by ring-opening with halide ion to afford halogenated acyclic difluoromethyl (thio)ethers that can then be employed for further elaboration. TMSCF₂X (X=Br, Cl) are unique reagents to achieve this synthetic purpose, which serve as both the difluorocarbene source and the halide ion source.     

Direct Synthesis of Tri-/Difluoromethyl Ketones from Carboxylic Acids by Cross-Coupling with Acyloxyphosphonium Ions

A simple and straightforward approach to the synthesis of trifluoromethyl and difluoromethyl ketones from widely available carboxylic acids is disclosed. The transformation utilizes an acyloxyphosphonium ion as the active electrophile, conveniently generated in situ from the carboxylic acid substrate by using commodity chemicals. The utility of the reaction system is exemplified by its chemoselectivity, with tolerance to a variety of important functional groups. The late-stage functionalization of carboxylic acid active pharmaceutical ingredients and pharmaceutically relevant compounds is also discussed.     

gem‐Difluoroolefination of Diaryl Ketones and Enolizable Aldehydes with Difluoromethyl 2‐Pyridyl Sulfone: New Insights into the Julia–Kocienski Reaction

The direct conversion of diaryl ketones and enolizable aliphatic aldehydes into gem‐difluoroalkenes has been a long‐standing challenge in organofluorine chemistry. Herein, we report efficient strategies to tackle this problem by using difluoromethyl 2‐pyridyl sulfone as a general gem‐difluoroolefination reagent. The gem‐difluoroolefination of diaryl ketones proceeds by acid‐promoted Smiles rearrangement of the carbinol intermediate; the gem‐difluoroolefination is otherwise difficult to achieve through a conventional Julia–Kocienski olefination protocol under basic conditions due to the retro‐aldol type decomposition of the key intermediate. Efficient gem‐difluoroolefination of aliphatic aldehydes was achieved by the use of an amide base generated in situ (from CsF and tris(trimethylsilyl)amine), which diminishes the undesired enolization of aliphatic aldehydes and provides a powerful synthetic method for chemoselective gem‐difluoroolefination of multi‐carbonyl compounds. Our results provide new insights into the mechanistic understanding of the classical Julia–Kocienski reaction.     

Selective free-radical dechlorination of 1,1-dichloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether initiated thermally or by uv light: A practical and ‘green’ method for isoflurane synthesis

Treatment of 1,1-dichloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether (3) with 2-propanol followed by either irradiation with UV light or heating with radical initiators gives the inhalational anesthetic isoflurane. Unlike most other common dechlorination methods, monoreduction is the exclusive process and the by-products acetone and HCl are relatively benign. Some comments about the mechanism of the reduction will be presented, along with solutions to problems encountered during scale-up.     

Simple synthesis of some unsaturated 1,1-difluoro-2-hydroxyethylphosphonates

A short synthesis of some 1,1-difluoro-2-hydroxymethylphosphonates in good yields is described. This procedure involves the regioselective 1,2-addition of [(diethoxyphosphoryl)difluoromethyl]lithium toward unsaturated aldehydes and ketones.     

Ligand‐Controlled Copper‐Catalyzed Highly Regioselective Difluoromethylation of Allylic Chlorides/Bromides and Propargyl Bromides

Highly regiodivergent copper‐catalyzed allylic/propargylic difluoromethylation reactions by employing different ligands are described. When 5,6‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline was used as the ligand, exclusively α‐difluoromethylated products were obtained, while γ‐selective difluoromethylated products were generated when N‐heterocyclic carbene‐SIPr was used as the ligand. Likewise, high α‐ vs. γ‐selectivities were achieved in the presence of similar copper catalysts for the reactions of propargyl bromides. Moreover, a copper‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic difluoromethylation reaction with moderate to good enantioselectivity by the use of chiral ligands was developed.     

Preparation of 1-aryl-2,2-difluoro enol esters via dehydrosulfonylation of α-(phenylsulfonyl)difluoromethylated benzoates

1-Aryl-2,2-difluoro enol benzoates 4 has been prepared from α-(phenylsulfonyl)-difluoromethylated benzoates 3, which can be readily obtained from the reactions between simple aldehydes and PhSO₂CF₂H (or TMSCF₂SO₂Ph). 2,2-Difluoro enol esters 4 are relatively more stable compounds than 2,2-difluoro enol sily ethers, and they promise to act as interesting fluorinated building blocks for further elaborations.     

[(SIPr)Ag(CF2H)]: A Shelf-Stable,Versatile Difluoromethylation Reagent

Due to its unique physical and electrophilic properties, the difluoromethyl group (−CF₂H) has been playing an irreplaceable role in the field of pharmaceutical and agrochemical industry. Methods that could efficiently incorporate the difluoromethyl group into the target molecules are increasing in the recent years. Developing a stable and efficient difluoromethylating reagent is thus highly attractive. In this review, we describe the development of a nucleophilic difluoromethylation reagent [(SIPr)Ag(CF₂H)], including its elemental reaction, difluoromethylation reaction with different types of electrophiles, and its application in the synthesis of a nucleophilic and an electrophilic difluoromethylthiolating reagent.     

2-二氟甲氧(硫)基吡啶-5-硼酸频哪醇酯类化合物的合成

以吡啶类化合物作为起始原料,先经二氟甲基化反应在羟基或巯基上引入二氟甲基基团,再用铱催化剂活化吡啶环的C-H并直接引入硼酸频哪醇酯基团,得到目标化合物,其产物结构经¹H NMR、¹³C NMR、MS和元素分析确证。该方法具有合成路线较短、反应条件温和、原料廉价易得以及产率较高等优点。     

18F‐Labeling of Aryl‐SCF3, ‐OCF3 and ‐OCHF2 with [18F]Fluoride

We report that halogenophilic silver(I) triflate permits halogen exchange (halex) nucleophilic ¹⁸F‐fluorination of aryl‐OCHFCl, ‐OCF₂Br and ‐SCF₂Br precursors under mild conditions. This Ag^I‐mediated process allows for the first time access to a range of ¹⁸F‐labeled aryl‐OCHF₂, ‐OCF₃ and ‐SCF₃ derivatives, inclusive of [¹⁸F]riluzole. The ¹⁸F‐labeling of these medicinally important motifs expands the radiochemical space available for PET applications.