A new method for aromatic difluoromethylation: copper-catalyzed cross-coupling and decarboxylation sequence from aryl iodides.

A new methodology for aromatic difluoromethylation is described. Aryl iodides reacted with α-silyldifluoroacetates upon treatment with copper catalyst in DMSO or DME to give the corresponding aryldifluoroacetates in moderate to good yields. The subsequent hydrolysis of aryldifluoroacetates and KF-promoted decarboxylation afforded a variety of difluoromethyl aromatics.

Boron-substituted difluorocyclopropanes: new building blocks of gem-difluorocyclopropanes.

Cycloaddition of difluorocarbene to alkenyl boronates 3 gave boron-substituted gem-difluorocyclopropanes 2 in stereospecific fashion. Upon treatment with lithium carbenoids, cyclopropyl boronates 2 underwent one-carbon homologation to afford a variety of gem-difluorocyclopropanes in good yields.