Diboron-Enabled Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Hydroperfluoroalkylation toward β-Perfluoroalkyl Carbonyls
Lili Zhao1, Chenyang Liu1, Jiaming Li1
1School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi330031, China.
Organic Letters
|August 14, 2026
Summary
A new nickel-catalyzed reaction enables the efficient hydroperfluoroalkylation of carbonyl compounds. This method provides a practical route to valuable fluorinated building blocks for drug discovery.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Carbonyl compounds are essential in synthesizing drug-like molecules.
- Incorporating fluorine atoms can enhance molecular properties for medicinal applications.
- Hydroperfluoroalkylation is a key strategy for introducing fluorinated motifs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel catalytic system for the reductive hydroperfluoroalkylation of unsaturated carbonyl compounds.
- To achieve high regioselectivity in the incorporation of perfluoroalkyl groups.
- To provide a practical method for synthesizing fluorinated building blocks.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a diboron-enabled Nickel (Ni) catalytic system.
- Employed mild reaction conditions for the hydroperfluoroalkylation process.
- Applied the protocol to various amides, ketones, and esters.
Main Results:
- Achieved unified and highly regioselective reductive hydroperfluoroalkylation.
- Successfully incorporated diverse perfluoroalkyl groups into the target molecules.
- Obtained β-perfluoroalkyl products in good to excellent yields.
Conclusions:
- The developed Ni-catalyzed system offers an efficient and practical method for hydroperfluoroalkylation.
- This protocol facilitates the synthesis of valuable fluorinated building blocks.
- The method is suitable for amides, ketones, and esters, expanding synthetic utility.
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