Copper-Catalyzed Hydroxyperfluoroalkylation of Unactivated Alkenes: Access to β-Perfluoroalkyl Alcohols.

An expeditious copper-catalyzed three-component hydroxyperfluoroalkylation of unactivated alkenes starting from commercially available perfluoroalkyl iodides and an O 2 molecule from air as the oxygen source was developed. The Cu/B 2 pin 2 catalytic system offered a novel pattern for the generation of perfluoroalkyl radicals and overcame the previous limitations in the hydroxyperfluoroalkylation of unactivated alkenes. This catalytic protocol features high regioselectivity and broad substrate scope to access valuable β-perfluoroalkyl alcohols expediently. 18 O-labeling experiments demonstrated that the oxygen atom of the OH group stems from O 2 in air.