Trifluoromethylator™, A New Arene Trifluoromethylation Reagent: (Phen)Cu-CF₃*

Arene trifluoromethylation has been a long-standing challenge for synthetic chemists. Such highly desirable fluorinated building blocks are readily accessed with Trifluoromethylator ^™ , (Phen)Cu-CF₃ (cat. #L510009), a reagent recently developed by Hartwig and coworkers.¹

General Reaction Scheme 

(Phen)Cu-CF₃ (cat. #L510009) is an easily handled, thermally stable, single-component reagent for the trifluoromethylation of aryl iodides. Electron-rich and electron-deficient iodoarenes, as well as sterically-hindered iodoarenes, react in high yield under mild conditions. Electrophilic functional groups, including aldehydes, nitroarenes, ketones and esters are tolerated. Thus, the substrate scope of this reagent is broad and the reagent has wide applicability for trifluoromethylation.

Representative Reaction Scope

*Provided in conjunction with Dr. David Rozzell, Catylix, Inc.

1. For complete scope and reaction details, please see: Morimoto, H.; Tsubogo, T.; Litvinas, N. D.; Hartwig, J. F. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 3793-3798.

 *Trifluoromethylator is a trademark of Catylix, Inc.