- Acid-Catalyzed Hydrothiolation of gem-Difluorostyrenes to Access α,α-Difluoroalkylthioethers
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The substitution of hydrogen atoms with fluorine in bioactive molecules can greatly impact physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties. However, current synthetic methods cannot readily access many fluorinated motifs, which impedes utilization of these groups. Thus, the development of new methods to introduce fluorinated functional groups is critical for developing the next generation of biological probes and therapeutic agents. The synthesis of one such substructure, the α,α-difluoroalkylthioether, typically requires specialized conditions that necessitate early-stage installation. A late-stage and convergent approach to access α,α-difluoroalkylthioethers could involve nucleophilic addition of thiols across gem-difluorostyrenes. Unfortunately, under basic conditions, nucleophilic addition to gem-difluorostyrenes generates an anionic intermediate that can undergo facile elimination of fluoride to generate α-fluorovinylthioethers. To overcome this decomposition, we herein exploit an acid-based catalyst system to facilitate simultaneous nucleophilic addition and protonation of the unstable intermediate. Ultimately, the optimized mild conditions afford the desired α,α-difluoroalkylthioethers in high selectivity and moderate to excellent yields. These α,α-difluoroalkylthioethers are less nucleophilic and more oxidatively stable relative to nonfluorinated thioethers, suggesting the potential application of this unexplored functional group in biological probes and therapeutic agents.
- Sorrentino, Jacob P.,Orsi, Douglas L.,Altman, Ryan A.
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p. 2297 - 2311
(2021/02/06)
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- Cobalt-Catalyzed Selective Unsymmetrical Dioxidation of gem-Difluoroalkenes
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gem-Difluoroalkenes represent valuable synthetic handles for organofluorine chemistry; however, most reactions of this substructure proceed through reactive intermediates prone to eliminate a fluorine atom and generate monofluorinated products. Taking advantage of the distinct reactivity of gem-difluoroalkenes, we present a cobalt-catalyzed regioselective unsymmetrical dioxygenation of gem-difluoroalkenes using phenols and molecular oxygen, which retains both fluorine atoms and provides β-phenoxy-β,β-difluorobenzyl alcohols. Mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction operates through a radical chain process initiated by Co(II)/O2/phenol and quenched by the Co-based catalyst. This mechanism enables the retention of both fluorine atoms, which contrasts most transition-metal-catalyzed reactions of gem-difluoroalkenes that typically involve defluorination.
- Altman, Ryan A.,Douglas, Justin T.,Orsi, Douglas L.,Sorrentino, Jacob P.
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p. 10451 - 10465
(2020/09/23)
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- Organocatalytic strategy for hydrophenolation of gem-difluoroalkenes
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Gem-difluoroalkenes are an easily accessed fluorinated functional group, and a useful intermediate for elaborating into more complex fluorinated compounds. Currently, most functionalization reactions of gem-difluoroalkenes, with or without a transition metal-based catalyst system, involve the addition or removal of a fluorine atom to generate trifluorinated or monofluorinated products, respectively. In contrast, we present a complementary “fluorine-retentive” reaction that exploits an organocatalytic strategy to add phenols across gem-difluoroalkenes to deliver β,β-difluorophenethyl arylethers. The products are produced in good to moderate yields and selectivities, thus providing a range of compounds that are underrepresented in the synthetic and medicinal chemistry literature.
- Orsi, Douglas L.,Yadav, M. Ramu,Altman, Ryan A.
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p. 4325 - 4336
(2019/04/25)
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- Photoredox-Coupled F-Nucleophilic Addition: Allylation of gem-Difluoroalkenes
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A novel strategy for the expedient construction of CF3-embeded tertiary/quarternary carbon centers was developed by taking advantage of photoredox catalysis. Thanks to a key step of single-electron oxidation, electron-rich gem-difluoroalkenes, which otherwise are essentially reluctant towards F-nucleoplilic addition, now readily participate in this fluoroallylation reaction. Furthermore, this strategy provides an elegant example for the generation, as well as functionalization, of α-CF3-substituted benzylic radical intermediates using cheap and readily available starting materials.
- Liu, Haidong,Ge, Liang,Wang, Ding-Xing,Chen, Nan,Feng, Chao
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supporting information
p. 3918 - 3922
(2019/02/19)
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- Wittig gem-difluoroolefination of aldehydes with difluoromethyltriphenylphosphonium bromide
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Wittig reaction of aldehydes with difluoromethyltriphenylphosphonium bromide leading to gem-difluoroolefins in moderate yields is described. The reaction displays a good substrate scope including aryl, heteroaryl and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. Difluoromethyltriphenylphosphonium bromide could be easily prepared and stored for a long time under air atmosphere. The salt exhibits high thermal stability demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis. Its structure was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray analysis.
- Li, Qiang,Lin, Jin-Hong,Deng, Zu-Yong,Zheng, Jian,Cai, Ji,Xiao, Ji-Chang
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- Synthesis and decarboxylative Wittig reaction of difluoromethylene phosphobetaine
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A key intermediate, difluoromethylene phosphobetaine, in the Wittig reaction of ClCF2CO2Na-Ph3P with aldehydes was synthesized and characterized, which confirmed the reaction mechanism. The decarboxylation of this stable intermediate was a convenient approach for Wittig difluroolefination. Its reactivity could be adjusted by the modification of the substituent on the phosphorus.
- Zheng, Jian,Cai, Ji,Lin, Jin-Hong,Guo, Yong,Xiao, Ji-Chang
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supporting information
p. 7513 - 7515
(2013/08/23)
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- Conversion between difluorocarbene and difluoromethylene ylide
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The interconversion between difluoromethylene ylide and difluorocarbene is described. The difluoromethylene ylide precursor, Ph3P +CF2CO2-, could be turned into an efficient difluorocarbene reagent, w
- Zheng, Jian,Lin, Jin-Hong,Cai, Ji,Xiao, Ji-Chang
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supporting information
p. 15261 - 15266
(2013/11/06)
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- Use of kinetic isotope effects in mechanism studies. Isotope effects and element effects associated with Hydron-Transfer steps during alkoxide-promoted dehydrohalogenations
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The Arrhenius behavior of the primary kinetic isotope effect, (k(H)/k(D))(Obs) and (k(H)/k(T))(Obs), associated with the methanolic sodium methoxide-promoted dehydrohalogenations of m-ClC6H4C(i)HClCH2Cl (I), m-CF3C6H4C(i)-HClCH2Cl (II) and p-CF3C6H4C(i)HClCH2F (III) has been used to calculate the internal-return parameters, a = k(-1)/K(Elim)(X), in a two-step mechanism featuring a hydrogen-bonded carbanion. This carbanion partitions between returning the hydron to carbon, k(-1), and the loss of halide, K(Elm)(X). Isotope effects at 25°C for I, (k(H)/k(D))(Obs) = 3.40 and (k(H)/ k(T))(Obs) = 6.20, and II, (k(H)/k(D))(Obs) = 3.49 and (k(H)/k(T))(Obs) = 6.55, result in similar values for a: a(H) = 0.59, a(D) = 0.13-0.14 and a(T) = 0.07. Smaller values of (k(H)/k(D))(Obs) = 2.19 and (k(H)/k(T))(Obs) = 3.56 for III are due to more internal return [a(H) = 1.9, a(D) = 0.50, and a(T) = 0.28] associated with the dehydrofluorination reaction. Calculation of k1 ( k(Obs) [a + 1]) results in similar isotope effects for hydron transfer in these reactions: k1(H)/k1(D) = 4.74 and k1(H)/K1(T) = 9.20; II, k1(H)/k1(D) = 4.91 and k1(H)/k1(T) = 9.75; III, k1(H)/k1(D) = 4.75 and k1(H)/k1(T) = 9.17. Reactions of m-ClC6H4C(i)HBrCH2Br and m-ClC6H4C(i)HClCH2Br have very small amounts of internal return, a(H) = 0.05 and a(D) = 0.01, and (k(H)/k(D))(Obs) = 4.95 results in k1(H)/k1(D) = 5.11 The measured isotope effects are therefore due to differences in the amount of internal return and not in the symmetry of transition state structures for the hydron transfer, and the element effect, (k(HBr)/ k(HCl)) = 29, for m-ClC6H4CHClCH2X is mainly due to the hydron-transfer step, k1(HBr)/k1(HCl) = 19, and not the breaking of the C-X bend. The kinetic solvent isotope effects, k(MeOD)/k(MeOH) ~ 2.5, are consistent with three methanols of solvation lost prior to the hydron-transfer step. The energetics associated with desolvation of methoxide ion are part of the measured reaction energetics of these systems.
- Koch, Heinz F.,Lodder, Gerrit,Koch, Judith G.,Bogdan, David J.,Brown, Geoffrey H.,Carlson, Carrie A.,Dean, Amy B.,Hage, Ronald,Han, Patrick,Hopman, Johan C. P.,James, Lisa A.,Knape, Petra M.,Roos, Eric C.,Sardina, Melissa L.,Sawyer, Rachael A.,Scott, Barbara O.,Testa III, Charles A.,Wickham, Steven D.
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p. 9965 - 9974
(2007/10/03)
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