10.1021/ol8029627
The study presents an efficient method for nucleophilic fluoromethylation of alkyl and benzyl halides using fluorobis(phenylsulfonyl)methane (1) as a versatile reagent. The researchers achieved stereospecific one-pot synthesis of fluorovinyl compounds such as fluorostyrylsulfones, fluorocinnamates, and fluorochalcones using benzyl halides. The methodology was extended to synthesize R-substituted fluoroalkane derivatives through selective reductive desulfonylation. The study highlights the importance of fluorine in modifying the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of drug molecules. The researchers used mild bases like potassium carbonate in DMF or cesium carbonate in acetonitrile to generate the soft carbanion [R-fluorobis(phenylsulfonyl)methide] from R-fluorobis(phenylsulfonyl)methane, which then reacted with primary alkyl iodides and bromides to produce alkylated products in moderate to excellent yields. For benzyl halides, the reaction led to the formation of fluorovinyl sulfones, indicating a second elimination step. The study also explored reductive desulfonylation using a Mg/HOAc/NaOAc system for monodesulfonylation and a Mg/MeOH system for didesulfonylation, yielding R-fluoro-R-(phenylsulfonyl)alkanes and R-fluoroalkanes, respectively.