A remarkable solvent effect of fluorinated alcohols on transition metal catalysed C-H functionalizations

Fluorinated solvents like 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and trifluoroethanol (TFE) have recently emerged as a remarkable synthetic solution allowing challenging C-H activation reactions. A beneficial effect of these solvents on reactivity, as well as site-and stereoselectivity of various direct functionalization reactions has been observed. Moreover, several catalytic systems specifically require such fluorinated medium. This Highlight is devoted to showcasing the exceptional potential of fluorinated alcohols in the C-H activation field.