Abstract
CF2H groups are unique due to the combination of their lipophilic and hydrogen bonding properties. The strength of H-bonding is determined by the group to which it is appended. Several functional groups have been explored in this context including O, S, SO and SO2 to tune the intermolecular interaction. Difluoromethyl ketones are under-studied in this context, without a broadly accessible method for their preparation. Herein, we describe the development of an electrochemical hydrodefluorination of readily accessible trifluoromethylketones. The single-step reaction at deeply reductive potentials is uniquely amenable to challenging electron-rich substrates and reductively sensitive functionality. Key to this success is the use of non-protic conditions enabled by an ammonium salt that serves as a reductively stable, masked proton source. Analysis of their H-bonding has revealed difluoromethyl ketones to be potentially highly useful dual H-bond donor/acceptor moieties.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 10252-10258 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Chemical Science |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 30 |
Early online date | 6 Jul 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 14 Aug 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We would like to thank the Royal Society (University Research Fellowship, Enhancement award and Research Grant for Research Fellow to AJJL), EPSRC (EP/S018050/1) and Syngenta for funding. We would also like to acknowledge Dr Natalie Pridmore (University of Bristol) for the X-ray crystallography. We would like to dedicate this manuscript to Prof Shannon Stahl on the occasion of his 50thbirthday.
Funding Information:
We would like to thank the Royal Society (University Research Fellowship, Enhancement award and Research Grant for Research Fellow to AJJL), EPSRC (EP/S018050/1) and Syngenta for funding. We would also like to acknowledge Dr Natalie Pridmore (University of Bristol) for the X-ray crystallography.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021.