Visible Light-Induced Aromatic Difluoroalkylation

Abstract

Difluoroalkylated aromatics are important structural motifs in pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications. Herein, we report their synthesis by a mild, efficient, and convenient method using visible light photoredox catalysis. A variety of unactivated aromatics were difluoroalkylated with ethyl 2?bromo?2,2?difluoroacetate (BrCF2CO2Et) in the presence of the triscyclometalated Ir complex fac?[Ir(ppy)3] under visible light irradiation at room temperature. It is shown that reaction outcomes containing the CF2CO2Et moiety can be converted to a variety of other CF2?containing aromatics, demonstrating the synthetic utility of the present method.