Catalytic and Stereoselective Transformations with Easily Accessible and Purchasable Allyl and Alkenyl Fluorides

Stereochemically defined organofluorine compounds are vital to drug discovery and many applicable catalytic strategies have been introduced for accessing these entities stereoselectively. One approach entails incorporation of a fluorine atom (C-F bond formation) or an organofluorine moiety (e.g., CF₃ or CF₂ H), and another exploits commercially available compounds with one or more fluorine atoms. Here, we present the state-of-the-art regarding the use of alkenyl and allylic fluorides in preparation of stereochemically defined fluoro-organic molecules. Allylic and alkenyl fluorides may be purchased or generated from a commercially available acid, carboxylate salt, ester, aldehyde hydrate, or ketone bearing several fluorine atoms next to a carbonyl group. We underscore the untapped potential of purchasable organofluorine compounds, many allylic and alkenyl fluorides, as launching points for development of stereoselective processes that are of value to therapeutic science.