Silver-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Allylation of Difluoroarylacetic Acids with Allyl Sulfones in Water

A practical silver-catalyzed decarboxylative allylation of alpha,alpha-difluoroarylacetic acids with allyl sulfones is described, which provides a variety of beta,beta-difluorinated alkenes in good yields. Notably, the reaction proceeds smoothly in water with good functional group tolerance. The practicality and synthetic value of this process was demonstrated by scaled-up experiment and elaboration of the products via reduction or Heck reaction. Primary mechanism investigations suggest that a radical process might be involved.