Ruthenium-Catalyzed ortho -C-H Hydroxyfluoroalkylation of Arenes with Fluorinated Alcohols.

A facile and mild Ru(II)-catalyzed ortho -C-H hydroxyfluoroalkylation of arenes with cheap and easily accessible fluorinated alcohols has been developed in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxyl (TEMPO). The readily available fluorinated alcohols were used as hydroxyfluoroalkylation reagents to form various α-aryl-α-trifluoromethyl alcohols. The present work provides a new method for the introduction of hydroxyfluoroalkyl groups into arenes.