[Ph<sub>4</sub>P]<sup>+</sup>[Cu(CF<sub>2</sub>H)<sub>2</sub>]<sup>−</sup>: A Powerful Difluoromethylating Reagent Inspired by Mechanistic Investigation
Haiwei Zhao, Xuebing Leng, Wei Zhang, Qilong Shen
Abstract
Abstract The quest of the active species in copper‐mediated difluoromethylation of aryl halides led to the discovery of a powerful difluoromethylating reagent [Ph 4 P] + [Cu(CF 2 H) 2 ] − 2 . Complex 2 was able to difluoromethylate a variety of electrophiles including electron‐deficient and electron‐rich aryl iodides, heteroaryl iodides, activated heteroaryl bromides, chloride and aryl bromides with a directing group, as well as other electrophiles such as alkenyl iodide, benzyl bromides, allyl bromides, alkyl iodide, allyl carbonates and acid chloride. In addition, in the presence of an oxidant, complex 2 reacted with various lithium n butyl arylboronic acid pinacol esters, alkyne and heteroarene. Moreover, complex 2 could transmetalate the difluoromethyl reagent to other metals such as [Ph 4 P] + [CuCl 2 ] − and [(DPPF)PdCl 2 ].