Poison to Promise: The Resurgence of Organophosphorus Fluoride Chemistry.

Organophosphorus(V) fluorides have a long and tumultuous history, with early applications as toxins and nerve agents reflecting their poisonous past. Behind these very real safety considerations, there is also growing potential in a wide range of fields, from chemical biology to drug development. The recent inclusion of organophosphorus(V) fluorides in click chemistry exemplifies the promise these compounds possess and brings these molecules to the brink of a resurgence. In this Perspective, we delve into the history of P(V)-F compounds, discuss the precautions needed to work with them safely, and explore recent advancements in their synthesis and application. We conclude by discussing how this field can continue on a path toward innovation.

CBD hydroxyquinone photo-isomerises to a highly reactive intermediate.

The legalisation of hemp has led to wide commercial availability of cannabidiol (CBD)-containing products. Here we show that the CBD-hydroxyquinone (HU-331), a readily formed oxidation product and common impurity in CBD isolates, undergoes a previously unknown photo-isomerisation to produce a highly reactive intermediate in solution. Studies supported by calculations indicate that this intermediate rapidly reacts with oxygen to form a multitude of cannabinoid products. The purple colour observed in light-aged CBD-containing solutions is largely due to the anions of these by-products and is not significantly due to the HU-331 anion. Our findings suggest that these uncharacterized cannabinoid derivatives can be present in CBD-containing e-liquids and solutions that have been stored under ambient light conditions, calling for quality control processes that manage HU-331 contamination.

Sulfur(iv) reagents for the SuFEx-based synthesis of substituted sulfamate esters.

Sulfur(vi) fluoride exchange chemistry has been reported to be effective at synthesizing valuable sulfur(vi) functionalities through sequential nucleophilic additions, yet oxygen-based nucleophiles are limited in this approach to phenolic derivatives. Herein, we report a new sulfur(iv) fluoride exchange strategy to access synthetically challenging substituted sulfamate esters from alkyl alcohols and amines. We also report the development of a non-gaseous, sulfur(iv) fluoride exchange reagent, N-methylimidazolium sulfinyl fluoride hexafluorophosphate (MISF). By leveraging the reactivity of the sulfur(iv) center of this novel reagent, the sequential addition of alcohols and amines to MISF followed by oxidation afforded the desired substituted sulfamates in 40-83% yields after two steps. This new strategy expands the scope of SuFEx chemistry by increasing the accessibility of underdeveloped -S(O)F intermediates for future explorations.

Facile synthesis of sulfonyl fluorides from sulfonic acids.

Herein, we demonstrate two complementary strategies for the syntheses of sulfonyl fluorides using sulfonic acids and their salts. One strategy involves the conversion of sulfonic acid sodium salts to sulfonyl fluorides using thionyl fluoride in 90-99% yields in one hour. Lessons learned from the mechanism of this reaction also have enabled a complementary deoxyfluorination of sulfonic acids using Xtalfluor-E® - a bench stable solid - allowing for the conversion of both aryl and alkyl sulfonic acids and salts to sulfonyl fluorides in 41-94% yields. Notably, using Xtalfluor-E® enabled milder conditions and the use of both sulfonic acids and their sodium salts.

Thionyl Fluoride-Mediated One-Pot Substitutions and Reductions of Carboxylic Acids.

Thionyl fluoride (SOF2) is an underutilized reagent that is yet to be extensively studied for its synthetic applications. We previously reported that it is a powerful reagent for both the rapid syntheses of acyl fluorides and for one-pot peptide couplings, but the full scope of these nucleophilic acyl substitutions had not been explored. Herein, we report one-pot thionyl fluoride-mediated syntheses of peptides and amides (35 examples, 45-99% yields) that were not explored in our previous study. The scope of thionyl fluoride-mediated nucleophilic acyl substitutions was also expanded to encompass esters (24 examples, 64-99% yields) and thioesters (11 examples, 24-96% yields). In addition, we demonstrate that the scope of thionyl fluoride-mediated one-pot reactions can be extended beyond nucleophilic acyl substitutions to mild reductions of carboxylic acids using NaBH4 (13 examples, 33-80% yields).

The Emerging Applications of Sulfur(VI) Fluorides in Catalysis.

The past decade has witnessed remarkable growth of catalytic transformations in organic sulfur(VI) fluoride chemistry. This Perspective concentrates exclusively on foundational examples that utilize catalytic strategies to synthesize and react S(VI) fluorides. Key mechanistic studies that aim to provide insight toward future catalytic systems are emphasized.

One-Pot Deoxygenation and Substitution of Alcohols Mediated by Sulfuryl Fluoride.

Sulfuryl fluoride is a valuable reagent for the one-pot activation and derivatization of aliphatic alcohols, but the highly reactive alkyl fluorosulfate intermediates limit both the types of reactions that can be accessed as well as the scope. Herein, we report the SO2F2-mediated alcohol substitution and deoxygenation method that relies on the conversion of fluorosulfates to alkyl halide intermediates. This strategy allows the expansion of SO2F2-mediated one-pot processes to include radical reactions, where the alkyl halides can also be exploited in the one-pot deoxygenation of primary alcohols under mild conditions (52-95% yield). This strategy can also enhance the scope of substitutions to nucleophiles that are previously incompatible with one-pot SO2F2-mediated alcohol activation and enables substitution of primary and secondary alcohols in 54-95% yield. Chiral secondary alcohols undergo a highly stereospecific (90-98% ee) double nucleophilic displacement with an overall retention of configuration.

Rapid and column-free syntheses of acyl fluorides and peptides using ex situ generated thionyl fluoride.

Thionyl fluoride (SOF2) was first isolated in 1896, but there have been less than 10 subsequent reports of its use as a reagent for organic synthesis. This is partly due to a lack of facile, lab-scale methods for its generation. Herein we report a novel protocol for the ex situ generation of SOF2 and subsequent demonstration of its ability to access both aliphatic and aromatic acyl fluorides in 55-98% isolated yields under mild conditions and short reaction times. We further demonstrate its aptitude in amino acid couplings, with a one-pot, column-free strategy that affords the corresponding dipeptides in 65-97% isolated yields with minimal to no epimerization. The broad scope allows for a wide range of protecting groups and both natural and unnatural amino acids. Finally, we demonstrated that this new method can be used in sequential liquid phase peptide synthesis (LPPS) to afford tri-, tetra-, penta-, and decapeptides in 14-88% yields without the need for column chromatography. We also demonstrated that this new method is amenable to solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), affording di- and pentapeptides in 80-98% yields.

Halide-Accelerated Acyl Fluoride Formation Using Sulfuryl Fluoride.

Herein, we report a new one-pot sequential method for SO2F2-mediated nucleophilic acyl substitution reactions starting from carboxylic acids. A mechanistic study revealed that SO2F2-mediated acid activation proceeds via the anhydride, which is then converted to the corresponding acyl fluoride. Tetrabutylammonium chloride or bromide accelerate the formation of acyl fluoride. Optimized halide-accelerated conditions were used to synthesize acyl fluorides in 30-80% yields, and esters, amides, and thioesters in 72-96% yields without reoptimization for each nucleophile.

Photoelectrochemical Decomposition of Lignin Model Compound on a BiVO4 Photoanode.

The photoelectrochemical decomposition of lignin model compounds at a BiVO4 photoanode is demonstrated with simulated sunlight and an applied bias of 2.0 V. These prototypical lignin model compounds are photoelectrochemically converted into the corresponding aryl aldehyde and phenol derivatives in a single step with conversion of up to ≈64 % over 20 h. Control experiments suggest that vanadium sites are electrocatalytically active, which precludes the need for a redox mediator in solution. This feature of the system is corroborated by a layer of V2 O5 deposited on BiVO4 serving to boost the conversion by 10 %. Our methodology capitalizes on the reactive power of sunlight to drive reactions that have only been studied previously by electrochemical or catalytic methods. The use of a BiVO4 photoanode to drive lignin model decomposition therefore provides a new platform to extract valuable aromatic chemical feedstocks using solar energy, electricity and biomass as the only inputs.

One-Pot Substitution of Aliphatic Alcohols Mediated by Sulfuryl Fluoride.

The Mitsunobu reaction is a powerful transformation for the one-pot activation and substitution of aliphatic alcohols. Significant efforts have focused on modifying the classic conditions to overcome problems associated with purification from phosphine-based byproducts. Herein, we report a phosphine free method for alcohol activation and substitution that is mediated by sulfuryl fluoride. This new method is effective for a wide range of primary alcohols using phthalimide, di-tert-butyl-iminodicarboxylate, and aromatic thiol nucleophiles in 74 % average yield. Activated carbon nucleophiles and a deactivated phenol were also effective for this reaction in good yields. Secondary alcohols were also successful substrates using aryl thiols, affording the corresponding sulfides in 56 % average yield with enantiomeric ratios up to 99:1. This new protocol has a distinct synthetic advantage over many existing phosphine-based methods as the byproducts are readily separable. This feature was exploited in several examples that did not require chromatography for purification. Furthermore, the mild reaction conditions enabled further in situ derivatization for the one-pot conversion of alcohols to amines or sulfones. This method also provides a boarder nucleophile scope compared to existing phosphine-free methods.

Zirconium Hydroaminoalkylation. An Alternative Disconnection for the Catalytic Synthesis of α-Arylated Primary Amines.

Primary amine products have been prepared using zirconium-catalyzed hydroaminoalkylation of alkenes with N-silylated benzylamine substrates. Catalysis using commercially available Zr(NMe2)4 affords an alternative disconnection to access α-arylated primary amines upon aqueous workup. Substrate-dependent regio- and diastereoselectivity of the reaction is observed. Bulky substituents on the terminal alkene exclusively generate the linear regioisomer. This atom-economic catalytic strategy for the synthesis of building blocks that can undergo further synthetic elaboration is highlighted in the preparation of trifluoroethylated α-arylated amines.

One-pot fluorosulfurylation of Grignard reagents using sulfuryl fluoride.

Herein, we report a new method for the one-pot syntheses of sulfonyl fluorides. Addition of an alkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl Grignard to a solution of sulfuryl fluoride at ambient temperature affords the desired sulfonyl fluorides in 18-78% yield. Furthermore, this method is applicable for in situ sequential reactions, whereby the Grignard reagent can be converted to the corresponding diarylsulfone, sulfonate ester, or sulfonamide in a one-pot process.

New sulfuryl fluoride-derived alkylating reagents for the 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkylation of thiols.

Herein, we report a new method for the one-pot synthesis of 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkyl sulfides by bubbling sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) through a solution of the corresponding alcohol and thiol. The reaction proceeds through a new class of bis(1,1-dihydrofluoroalkyl) sulfate reagents, to afford the desired 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkyl sulfides in 55-90% isolated yields. The bis(1,1-dihydrofluoroalkyl) sulfates are highly chemoselective for thiol alkylation, and are unreactive with competing, unprotected nucleophiles, including amines, alcohols, and carboxylic acids.

Regiocontrolled and Stereoselective Syntheses of Tetrahydrophthalazine Derivatives using Radical Cyclizations.

Tetrahydrophthalazine derivatives have found important applications in pharmaceutical research, but existing synthetic methods are unable to access them regio- and stereoselectively. Here, a new approach is presented that addresses these challenges by utilizing a 6-endo-trig radical cyclization in the key step. The desired tetrahydrophthalazines can be accessed in high yields (55-98 %) and high diastereoselectivities for the trans-product (>95:5) starting either from readily accessible hydrazones, or from the corresponding aldehydes and substituted Boc-hydrazides in a one-pot process. The synthetic versatility of the tetrahydrophthalazine core was demonstrated by its straightforward conversion to dihydro-phthalazines, phthalazines, or pyrazolo dione derivatives. Furthermore, the N-N bond was reduced to afford a new route to 1,4-diamines.

One-Pot 1,1-Dihydrofluoroalkylation of Amines Using Sulfuryl Fluoride.

Sulfuryl fluoride, SO2F2, has been known and used as a fumigant for over 50 years but it has only recently gained widespread interest as a reagent for organic synthesis. Herein we report a novel application of sulfuryl fluoride gas in a new 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkylation reaction, which simply involves bubbling SO2F2 through a solution of amine, 1,1-dihydrofluoroalcohol, and diisopropylethylamine. The reaction is successful for a wide range of primary and secondary amines, as well as several 1,1-dihydrofluoroalcohols, to afford the 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkylated amines in 42% to 80% isolated yields. The reaction also displays excellent functional group tolerance. The ease of the one-pot activation and alkylation, combined with the wide substrate scope make this new procedure an attractive alternative to existing 1,1-dihydrofluoroalkylation methodologies.

Photoelectrochemical oxidation of organic substrates in organic media.

There is a global effort to convert sunlight into fuels by photoelectrochemically splitting water to form hydrogen fuels, but the dioxygen byproduct bears little economic value. This raises the important question of whether higher value commodities can be produced instead of dioxygen. We report here photoelectrochemistry at a BiVO4 photoanode involving the oxidation of substrates in organic media. The use of MeCN instead of water enables a broader set of chemical transformations to be performed (e.g., alcohol oxidation and C-H activation/oxidation), while suppressing photocorrosion of BiVO4 that otherwise occurs readily in water, and sunlight reduces the electrical energy required to drive organic transformations by 60%. These collective results demonstrate the utility of using photoelectrochemical cells to mediate organic transformations that otherwise require expensive and toxic reagents or catalysts.Photoelectrochemical water splitting is a promising method for H2 fuel production, but the O2 by-product generated has little economic value. Here, Berlinguette and colleagues demonstrate that BiVO4 photoanodes immersed in organic media can instead perform valuable alcohol oxidation and C-H functionalization reactions.

Xenon Difluoride Mediated Fluorodecarboxylations for the Syntheses of Di- and Trifluoromethoxyarenes.

XeF2 is demonstrated to be a more proficient fluorine-transfer reagent than either NFSI or Selectfluor in fluorodecarboxylations of both mono- and difluoroaryloxy acetic acid derivatives. This method efficiently converts a wide range of neutral and electron-poor substrates to afford the desired di- and trifluoromethyl aryl ethers in good to excellent yields. The purifications are facile, and the reaction times are less than 5 min, which makes these fluorodecarboxylations promising for future PET-imaging applications.

Copper-catalyzed intermolecular carboetherification of unactivated alkenes by alkyl nitriles and alcohols.

A three-component carboetherification of unactivated alkenes has been developed allowing the rapid building of complexity from simple starting materials. A wide range of α-substituted styrenes underwent smooth reactions with unactivated alkyl nitriles and alcohols to afford γ-alkoxy alkyl nitriles with concomitant generation of a quaternary carbon center. A radical clock experiment provided clear-cut evidence that the reaction proceeds through a tertiary alkyl radical intermediate.

Strategies to control alkoxy radical-initiated relay cyclizations for the synthesis of oxygenated tetrahydrofuran motifs.

Radical relay cyclizations initiated by alkoxy radicals are a powerful tool for the rapid construction of substituted tetrahydrofurans. The scope of these relay cyclizations has been dramatically increased with the development of two strategies that utilize an oxygen atom in the substrate to accelerate the desired hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) over competing pathways. This has enabled a chemoselective 1,6-HAT over a competing 1,5-HAT. Furthermore, this allows for a chemoselective 1,5-HAT over competing direct cyclizations and ß-fragmentations. Oxygen atom incorporation leads to a general increase in cyclization diastereoselectivity over carbon analogues. This chemoselective relay cyclization strategy was utilized in the improved synthesis of the tetrahydrofuran fragment in (−)-amphidinolide K.