Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 6, 2025
![[DPEPhosbcpCu]PF6: A General and Broadly Applicable Copper-Based Photoredox Catalyst](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F59739.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
[DPEPhosbcpCu]PF6: A General and Broadly Applicable Copper-Based Photoredox Catalyst
Published on: May 21, 2019
Photoredox Polyfluoroarylation of Alkyl Halides via Halogen Atom Transfer
Ben Niu1, Krishnakumar Sachidanandan1, Bryan G Blackburn1
1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indiana University─Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.
Abstract:
Polyfluoroarene moieties are of interest in medicinal chemistry, agrochemicals, and material sciences. Herein, we present the first polyfluoroarylation of unactivated alkyl halides via a halogen atom transfer process. This method converts primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl halides into the respective polyfluoroaryl compounds in good yields in the presence of amide, carbamate, ester, aromatic, and sulfonamide moieties, including derivatives of complex bioactive molecules. Mechanistic work revealed that this transformation proceeds through an alkyl radical generated after the halogen atom transfer.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Electrophilic Addition to Alkynes: Hydrohalogenation
Radical Substitution: Allylic Chlorination
Base-Promoted α-Halogenation of Aldehydes and Ketones
Halogenation of Alkenes
Consider the bromination of cyclopentene. Molecular bromine is polarized in the proximity of the π electrons of cyclopentene. An electrophilic bromine atom adds across the double bond, forming a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate.
Electrophilic Addition to Alkynes: Halogenation
Halogenation is another class of electrophilic addition reactions where a halogen molecule gets added across a π bond. In alkynes, the presence of two π bonds allows for the addition of two equivalents of halogens (bromine or chlorine). The addition of the first halogen molecule forms a trans-dihaloalkene as the major product and the cis isomer as the minor product. Subsequent addition of the second equivalent yields the tetrahalide.
Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents
In the initiation step of the reaction, the chlorine molecule undergoes homolytic cleavage in the presence of light or heat, forming two highly reactive chlorine radicals. Propagation occurs in two...

