A "Renaissance" in radical trifluoromethylation

Area of Science:

• Organic Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Agrochemical Science

Background:

• The trifluoromethyl (CF3) group is a privileged moiety in drug discovery and agrochemicals.
• Incorporation of CF3 groups can significantly modulate the physicochemical and biological properties of molecules.
• Radical trifluoromethylation offers a powerful strategy for introducing the CF3 group.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent developments in radical trifluoromethylation reactions.
• To highlight the application of these reactions in synthesizing medicinally and agrochemically relevant compounds.
• To cover key advancements in the trifluoromethylation of alkenes and arenes.

Main Methods:

• Focus on radical-mediated trifluoromethylation pathways.
• Discussion of methods for introducing the trifluoromethyl group onto alkene and arene scaffolds.
• Compilation and analysis of recent literature in the field.

Main Results:

• Significant progress has been made in developing efficient radical trifluoromethylation reactions.
• These methods enable the facile synthesis of diverse trifluoromethylated compounds.
• Recent achievements have expanded the scope and applicability of radical trifluoromethylation.

Conclusions:

• Radical trifluoromethylation is a vital tool in modern synthetic chemistry.
• Continued advancements in this area will facilitate the development of new drugs and agrochemicals.
• The review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress and foundational work.