Multicomponent Dearomative Difluoroalkylation of Isoquinolines with Difluorinated Silyl Enol Ethers: Divergent Synthesis of gem-Difluorinated Heterocycles

Org Lett. 2023 Jul 21;25(28):5366-5371. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.3c01946. Epub 2023 Jul 11.

Abstract

A multicomponent dearomative difluoroalkylation of isoquinolines has been developed with difluorinated silyl enol ethers serving as poor nucleophiles without an additional transition-metal or organic catalyst. The sequential oxidative rearomatization under different alkaline conditions provides a controllable formal C-H difluoroalkylation and difluoromethylation method for isoquinolines without peroxide or metal oxidant. A series of isoquinolines including a pharmaceutical, phenanthridine, quinolines, and difluorinated silyl enol ethers were suitable substrates to construct gem-difluorinated heterocycles. The inexpensive starting materials, mild reaction conditions, and simple operation also show practical and environmentally benign advantages.