Catalytic Access to Functionalized Allylic gem-Difluorides via Fluorinative Meyer-Schuster-Like Rearrangement.

An unprecedented approach for efficient synthesis of functionalized allylic gem-difluorides via catalytic fluorinative Meyer-Schuster-like rearrangement is disclosed. This transformation proceeded with readily accessible propargylic fluorides, and low-cost B-F reagents and electrophilic reagents by sulfide catalysis. A series of iodinated, brominated, and trifluoromethylthiolated allylic gem-difluorides that were difficult to access by other methods were facilely produced with a wide range of functional groups. Importantly, the obtained iodinated products could be incorporated into different drugs and natural products, and could be expediently converted into many other valuable gem-difluoroalkyl molecules as well. Mechanistic studies revealed that this reaction went through a regioselective fluorination of alkynes followed by a formal 1,3-fluorine migration under the assistance of the B-F reagents to give the desired products.