Trifluoromethanesulfonyl azide as a bifunctional reagent for metal-free azidotrifluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes

Abstract

Vicinal trifluoromethyl azides have widespread applications in organic synthesis and drug development. However, their preparation is generally limited to transition-metal-catalyzed three-component reactions. We report here a simple and metal-free method that rapidly provides these building blocks from abundant alkenes and trifluoromethanesulfonyl azide (N3SO2CF3). This unprecedented two-component reaction employs readily available N3SO2CF3as a bifunctional reagent to concurrently incorporate both CF3and N3groups, which avoids the use of their expensive and low atom economic precursors. A wide range of functional groups, including bio-relevant heterocycles and amino acids, were tolerated. Application of this method was further demonstrated by scale-up synthesis (5 mmol), product derivatization to CF3-containing medicinal chemistry motifs, as well as late-stage modification of natural product and drug derivatives.