Efficient difluoromethylation of sp3 carbon nucleophiles by bromodifluoromethylation reagents with organic bases

Abstract

Bromodifluoromethylation reagents 1 can be used during electrophilic difluoromethylation for sp3 carbon nucleophiles mediated by organic bases. Allylic difluoromethylation of dicyanoalkylidens proceeds nicely by 1 in the presence of P1 base to give CF2H instead of CF 2Br products in high to excellent yields. A wide range of β-ketoesters are also efficiently reacted with 1, mediated by DBU to provide C-CF2H compounds as major products with a small amount of O-CF2H products in high to excellent yields. © 2012 The Authors.