Electron Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Perfluoroalkylation Reactions

Electron-donor-acceptor complexes (EDA) can be established through halogen-bonding interactions between the N lone electron pair from organic bases (or N-/O-centered anions) and perfluoroalkyl iodides R-F-I. These EDA complexes can be activated thermally or photochemically, and will be shown to be responsible for new C-R-F bond formation reactions, bypassing the use of visible-light photocatalysts (either organic or organometallic) or harsh reaction conditions, thus simplifying reaction protocols, work-up and analysis. Through this strategy, diverse reaction types can be realized, such as atom transfer radical additions, homolytic aromatic substitutions, and multicomponent reactions.