Perfluoroalkylation of Alkenes by Frustrated Lewis Pairs.

The activation of perfluoroalkyl iodides by the frustrated Lewis pair tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and tri-tert-butylphosphine is described. By abstraction of both a fluorine and an iodine atom, an iodophosphonium fluoroborate salt is formed. In the presence of alkenes the corresponding iodoperfluoroalkylation products are generated regioselectively. First mechanistic investigations support a radical mechanism.