Cooperative Photoredox and N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalyzed Fluoroaroylation for the Synthesis of α‐Trifluoromethyl‐Substituted Ketones

Abstract

Abstractα‐Trifluoromethylated ketones have attracted significant attention as valuable building blocks in organic synthesis. Such compounds are generally accessed through trifluoromethylation of ketones. Here we report an alternative disconnection approach for the construction of α‐CF3 carbonyl compounds by using aroyl fluorides as bifunctional reagents for fluoroaroylation of gem‐difluoroalkenes through cooperative photoredox and N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis. This strategy bypasses the use of expensive or sensitive trifluoromethylation reagents and/or the requirement for ketone pre‐functionalization, thus enabling an efficient and general synthetic method to access α‐CF3‐substituted ketones. A wide variety of gem‐difluoroalkenes and aroyl fluorides bearing a diverse set of functional groups are eligible substrates. Notably, the developed methodology also provides rapid access to mono‐ or difluoroalkyl ketones. Mechanistic studies reveal that merging photoredox catalysis with NHC catalysis is essential for the reaction.