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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Decarboxylative Trifluoromethylation of Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids
Jacob A Kautzky1, Tao Wang1, Ryan W Evans1
1Merck Center for Catalysis at Princeton University , Princeton , New Jersey 08544 , United States.
Abstract:
Herein we disclose an efficient method for the conversion of carboxylic acids to trifluoromethyl groups via the combination of photoredox and copper catalysis. This transformation tolerates a wide range of functionality including heterocycles, olefins, alcohols, and strained ring systems. To demonstrate the broad potential of this new methodology for late-stage functionalization, we successfully converted a diverse array of carboxylic acid-bearing natural products and medicinal agents to the corresponding trifluoromethyl analogues.
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