C-H Activation Based Copper-Catalyzed One-Shot Synthesis of N,O-Bidentate Organic Difluoroboron Complexes.

Organic BF2 complexes exhibit characteristics such as large Stokes shift, high quantum yield, strong emission intensity, and robust chemical stability, thereby being extensively used in various applications. Herein, we disclose a novel copper-catalyzed cascade C-H activation/acyloxylation and difluoroboronation of 2-phenylpyridine derivatives, thus providing a straightforward and rapid gateway to a series of N,O-bidentate organic BF2 complexes with excellent photophysical properties. Mechanism studies demonstrate that AgBF4 services as BF2 source and oxidant for this elegant transformation. Most of these BF2 complexes have broad and intense absorption and emission bands, and display bright and intensive blue fluorescence as well as large Stokes shifts.