Semipinacol Rearrangement of Iododifluorohomoallyl Alcohols and Its Application in the Allylic C-H Esterification Reactions

J Org Chem. 2024 Mar 1;89(5):3111-3122. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c02559. Epub 2024 Feb 11.

Abstract

We herein present a study on the Ag(I)-mediated semipinacol rearrangement of iododifluorohomoallyl alcohols, the resulting allylic difluoromethyl ketones underwent oxidative allylic C-H esterification under palladium catalysis in the absence of external ligand. This process yielded a range of difluoromethyl ketones derived from allyl esters in a single operation. The reaction features broad scope of o-nitrobenzoic acids and homoallylic iododifluoroalcohols affording the targeted molecules in synthetically useful yields. Control experiments illustrated that the silver salt acted as not only a Lewis acid to promote the cleavage of a C-I bond and furnish the semipinacol rearrangement but also a co-oxidant in the catalytic cycle for the allylic C-H esterification.