Recent advances in radical enabled selective Csp3-F bond activation of multifluorinated compounds

Fluorine-containing molecules have found broad applications in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries as introducing fluorine into a molecule could significantly tune the biological activities of parent molecules. Thus, the synthesis of fluorine-containing molecules has received substantial attention over the past few decades. As a complementary strategy for the synthesis of fluorinated compounds through new C-sp(3)-F bonds formation, selective cleavage of inert C-sp(3)-F bonds from easily-available and cost-effective multifluorinated molecules, such as fluoroalkylaromatics, alpha-trifluoromethyl alkenes and alpha-multifluorinated carbonyl compounds, has been emerging as an attractive alternative to access fluorine-containing molecules. Moreover, the inherent nature of radical reactions offers the opportunity for the selective C-sp(3)-F functionalizations to occur under mild conditions. In this regard, the development of photoredox catalysis, transition-metal catalysis, or electrochemistry to enable radical species generation via selective C-sp(3)-F cleavage has gained broad attention and substantial progress has been made over recent years. This highlight summerizes the recent advances in the single-electron-transfer enabled selective functionalizations of C-sp(3)-F bonds in multifluorinated compounds via radical pathways.

Automated summary

Fluorine-containing molecules have wide applications in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries due to the ability to tune the biological activities. Recent research focuses on selectively cleaving C-sp(3)-F bonds in multifluorinated compounds for synthesis, with radical reactions offering the potential for selective functionalizations.