C(sp³)-CF₃ Reductive Elimination from a Five-Coordinate Neutral Copper(III) Complex

The reductive elimination from a high-valent late-transition-metal complex for the formation of a carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom bond represents a fundamental product-forming step in a number of catalytic processes. While reductive eliminations from well-defined Pt(IV), Pd(IV), Ni(III)/Ni(IV), and Au(III) complexes have been studied, the analogous reactions from neutral Cu(III) complexes remain largely unexplored. Herein, we report the isolation of a stable, five-coordinate, neutral square pyramidal Cu(III) complex that gives CH₃-CF₃ in quantitative yield via reductive elimination. Mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction occurs through a synchronous bond-breaking/bond-forming process via a three-membered ring transition state.