Modular synthesis of α-fluorinated arylmethanes via desulfonylative cross-coupling

Nat Commun. 2019 Oct 4;10(1):4528. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-11758-w.

Abstract

α-Fluoromethylarenes are common substructures in pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, with the introduction of fluorine often resulting in improved biological activity and stability. Despite recent progress, synthetic routes to α-fluorinated diarylmethanes are still rare. Herein we describe the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of α-fluorinated benzylic triflones with arylboronic acids affording structurally diverse α-fluorinated diarylmethanes. The ease of synthesis of fluorinated triflones as the key starting materials enables powerful late-stage transformations of known biologically active compounds into fluorinated analogs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't