Copper-mediated aerobic fluoroalkylation of arylboronic acids with fluoroalkyl iodides at room temperature

Abstract

A Cu-mediated ligandless aerobic fluoroalkylation of arylboronic acids under mild conditions is described for the first time. The reaction tolerates a wide range of functional groups, allowing for further transformation. Mechanistic studies suggest that [R(f)Cu] is the active Cu species that forms the desired perfluoroalkylarenes and that [R(f)Cu] is generated from [PhCu] by either an oxidative addition/reductive elimination mechanism or nucleophilic substitution via a halogen "ate" intermediate.