Preparation and Reactivity Study of a Versatile Trifluoromethylthiolating Agent: S-Trifluoromethyl Trifluoromethanesulfonothioate (TTST).

A novel, air and thermally stable, yet highly reactive trifluoromethylthiolating reagent, CF3 SO2 SCF3 (1), was prepared easily in one step from commercially inexpensive CF3 SO2 Na and Tf2 O. 1 is a highly versatile and atom-efficient reagent that can generate one equivalent of CF3 S+ , two equivalents of CF3 S- , or a combination of CF3 S⋅/CF3 ⋅ species. Many high-yielding CF3 S reactions of C, O, S, and N-nucleophiles were achieved, including the simple-step preparations of many reported CF3 S reagents. 1 delivered a hitherto hard-to-synthesize ArOSCF3 that was followed by a novel CF3 SII -rearrangement. Through Cu or TDAE/Ph3 P combinations, 1 generated two equivalents of CF3 S anion species, and the photo-catalyzed reactions of alkenes with 1 provided CF3 /CF3 S-containing products in high atom-efficiency.

Synthesis and applications of S-(trifluoromethyl)-2,8-bis(trifluoromethoxy)dibenzothiophenium triflate (Umemoto reagent IV).

A new, powerful, and easy-to-handle electrophilic trifluoromethylating agent, S-(trifluoromethyl)-2,8-bis(trifluoromethoxy)dibenzothiophenium triflate (Umemoto reagent IV), was developed. Due to the extraordinary electronic effect of trifluoromethoxy group, Umemoto reagent IV was easily synthesized by a one-pot method from readily available 3,3'-bis(trifluoromethoxy)biphenyl. It was shown that Umemoto reagent IV was more powerful than Umemoto reagent II and could trifluoromethylate many kinds of nucleophilic substrates more effectively. In addition, Umemoto reagent IV was successfully utilized for the preparation of trifluoromethyl nonaflate, a useful trifluoromethoxylating agent. The direct conversion of 2,8-bis(trifluoromethoxy)dibenzothiophene to Umemoto reagent IV with triflic anhydride was achieved, albeit in low yield.

Self-Sustaining Fluorination of Active Methylene Compounds and High-Yielding Fluorination of Highly Basic Aryl and Alkenyl Lithium Species with a Sterically Hindered N-Fluorosulfonamide Reagent.

Fluorination of carbanions is pivotal for the synthesis of fluorinated compounds, but the current N-F fluorinating agents have significant drawbacks due to many reactive locations that surround the reactive N-F site. By developing a sterically hindered N-fluorosulfonamide reagent, namely N-fluoro-N-(tert-butyl)-tert-butanesulfonamide (NFBB), we discovered a conceptually novel base-catalyzed, self-sustaining fluorination of active methylene compounds and achieved the high-yielding fluorination of the hitherto difficult highly basic (hetero)aryl and alkenyl lithium species. In the former, the mild and high yield fluorination of active methylene compounds exhibited wide functional group tolerance and its novel catalytic fluorination-deprotonation cycle mechanism was demonstrated by deuterium-tracing experiments. In the latter, NFBB reacted with a variety of highly basic (hetero)aryl and alkenyl lithium species to provide the desired fluoro (hetero)arenes and alkenes in unprecedented high or quantitative yields.

Development of N-F fluorinating agents and their fluorinations: Historical perspective.

This review deals with the historical development of all N-F fluorinating agents developed so far. The unique properties of fluorine make fluorinated organic compounds attractive in many research areas and therefore fluorinating agents are important. N-F agents have proven useful by virtue of their easy handling. This reagent class includes many types of N-F compounds: perfluoro-N-fluoropiperidine, N-fluoro-2-pyridone, N-fluoro-N-alkylarenesulfonamides, N-fluoropyridinium salts and derivatives, N-fluoroquinuclidium salts, N-fluoro-trifluoromethanesulfonimide, N-fluoro-sultams, N-fluoro-benzothiazole dioxides, N-fluoro-lactams, N-fluoro-o-benzenedisulfonimide, N-fluoro-benzenesulfonimide, 1-alkyl-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane salts, N-fluoropyridinium-2-sulfonate derivatives, 1-fluoro-4-hydroxy-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane salts, N-fluorodinitroimidazole, N-fluoro-trichloro-1,3,5-triazinium salt, N-F ethano-Tröger's base derivatives, N-fluoro-methanesulfonimide, N-fluoro-N-arylarenesulfonamides, bisN-F salts such as N,N'-difluorobipyridinium salts and N,N'-difluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane salts, and their many derivatives and analogs, including chiral N-F reagents such as optically active N-fluoro-sultam derivatives, N-fluoro-alkaloid derivatives, DABCO-based N-F derivatives, and N-F binaphthyldisulfonimides. The synthesis and reactions of these reagents are described chronologically and the review also discusses the relative fluorination power of each reagent and their mechanisms chronicling developments from a historical perspective.

Trifluoromethyl Nonaflate: A Practical Trifluoromethoxylating Reagent and its Application to the Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of Trifluoromethoxylated Alkenes.

The trifluoromethoxy group has elicited much interest among drug and agrochemical discovery teams because of its unique properties. We developed trifluoromethyl nonafluorobutanesulfonate (nonaflate), TFNf, an easy-to-handle, bench-stable, reactive, and scalable trifluoromethoxylating reagent. TFNf is easily and safely prepared in a simple process in large scale and the nonaflyl part of TFNf can easily be recovered as nonaflyl fluoride after usage and recycled. The synthetic potency of TFNf was showcased with the underexplored synthesis of various trifluoromethoxylated alkenes, through a high regio- and stereoselective hydro(halo)trifluoromethoxylation of alkyne derivatives such as haloalkynes, alkynyl esters, and alkynyl sulfones. The synthetic merits of TFNf were further underscored with a high-yielding and smooth nucleophilic trifluoromethoxylation of alkyl triflates/bromides and primary/secondary alcohols.

Powerful, Thermally Stable, One-Pot-Preparable, and Recyclable Electrophilic Trifluoromethylating Agents: 2,8-Difluoro- and 2,3,7,8-Tetrafluoro-S-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzothiophenium Salts.

Although many electrophilic trifluoromethylating agents have been reported to date, practically useful reagents have yet to be developed. S-(Trifluoromethyl)dibenzothiophenium salts, known as Umemoto's reagents, have two significant drawbacks that have hampered their practical application: (1) synthesis involving many steps and (2) the formation of large amounts of dibenzothiophene as waste after trifluoromethylation. Our idea to substitute fluorine at specific positions on the dibenzothiophenium rings has resulted in massive improvements in the synthesis, properties, reactivity, and applications of these compounds. On the basis of this idea, 2,8-difluoro- and 2,3,7,8-tetrafluoro-S-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzothiophenium triflates and other salts were developed as powerful, thermally stable, one-pot-preparable, and recyclable reagents for the trifluoromethylation of various types of nucleophilic substrates, such as carbanions, (hetero)aromatics, alkenes, alkynes, thiols, sulfinates, and phosphines. This one-pot and recycled production tremendously decreases the chemical and environmental costs of this process. Because of their higher reactivity and thermal stability, these new reagents may have wider applications than Umemoto's reagents. Therefore, these new versions of Umemoto's reagents could be widely used as the first practically useful electrophilic trifluoromethylating agents for the production of many types of trifluoromethyl-containing compounds in academic and industrial applications.

Divergent rearrangements of cyclopropyl-substituted fluoroepoxides involving C-F bond cleavage and formation.

Unprecedented divergent rearrangements of cyclopropyl-substituted fluoroepoxides are reported. In the presence of a catalytic amount of benzoic acid, cyclopropyl-substituted fluoroepoxides efficiently undergo 1,5-fluorine migration. However, when the fluoroepoxides are heated with K2CO3 at 60 °C, 1,2-fluorine migration occurs. The 1,5-fluorine migration is believed to proceed via a carbocation intermediate, while the 1,2-fluorine migration may involve a tight ion pair intermediate or proceed via a concerted process.

Discovery of practical production processes for arylsulfur pentafluorides and their higher homologues, bis- and tris(sulfur pentafluorides): Beginning of a new era of "super-trifluoromethyl" arene chemistry and its industry.

Various arylsulfur pentafluorides, ArSF(5), have long been desired in both academic and industrial areas, and ArSF(5) compounds have attracted considerable interest in many areas such as medicines, agrochemicals, and other new materials, since the highly stable SF(5) group is considered a "super-trifluoromethyl group" due to its significantly higher electronegativity and lipophilicity. This article describes the first practical method for the production of various arylsulfur pentafluorides and their higher homologues, bis- and tris(sulfur pentafluorides), from the corresponding diaryl disulfides or aryl thiols. The method consists of two steps: (Step 1) treatment of a diaryl disulfide or an aryl thiol with chlorine in the presence of an alkali metal fluoride, and (step 2) treatment of the resulting arylsulfur chlorotetrafluoride with a fluoride source, such as ZnF(2), HF, and Sb(III/V) fluorides. The intermediate arylsulfur chlorotetrafluorides were isolated by distillation or recrystallization and characterized. The aspects of these new reactions are revealed and reaction mechanisms are discussed. As the method offers considerable improvement over previous methods in cost, yield, practicality, applicability, and large-scale production, the new processes described here can be employed as the first practical methods for the economical production of various arylsulfur pentafluorides and their higher homologues, which could then open up a new era of "super-trifluoromethyl" arene chemistry and its applications in many areas.

4-Fluoropyrrolidine-2-carbonyl fluorides: useful synthons and their facile preparation with 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethylphenylsulfur trifluoride.

4-Fluoropyrrolidine derivatives are useful in medicinal chemistry applications such as dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors. As attractive synthons for these, N-protected (2S,4S)-4-fluoropyrrolidine-2-carbonyl fluorides were synthesized in high yield by double fluorination of N-protected (2S,4R)-4-hydroxyproline with 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethylphenylsulfur trifluoride (Fluolead). The 4-fluoropyrrolidine-2-carbonyl fluorides were converted to useful intermediates such as 4-fluoropyrrolidine-2-carboxamides, -N-methoxy-N-methylcarboxamide (Weinreb amide), -carboxylate methyl esters, and -carbonitriles in excellent yields. The crystalline N-Fmoc-cis-4-fluoropyrrolidine-2-carbonyl fluoride 2a is a particularly useful synthon due to its high yield of preparation and easy isolation as an enantiomerically pure compound by crystallization. Thus, the methodology using the synthons prepared by the stereospecific double fluorination has enabled a significant decrease in the synthetic steps needed for the preparation of the 4-fluoropyrrolidine derivatives useful for medicinal applications.

Discovery of 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethylphenylsulfur trifluoride as a deoxofluorinating agent with high thermal stability as well as unusual resistance to aqueous hydrolysis, and its diverse fluorination capabilities including deoxofluoro-arylsulfinylation with high stereoselectivity.

Versatile, safe, shelf-stable, and easy-to-handle fluorinating agents are strongly desired in both academic and industrial arenas, since fluorinated compounds have attracted considerable interest in many areas, such as drug discovery, due to the unique effects of fluorine atoms when incorporated into molecules. This article describes the synthesis, properties, and reactivity of many substituted and thermally stable phenylsulfur trifluorides, in particular, 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethylphenylsulfur trifluoride (Fluolead, 1k), as a crystalline solid having surprisingly high stability on contact with water and superior utility as a deoxofluorinating agent compared to current reagents, such as DAST and its analogues. The roles of substituents on 1k in thermal and hydrolytic stability, fluorination reactivity, and the high-yield fluorination mechanism it undergoes have been clarified. In addition to fluorinations of alcohols, aldehydes, and enolizable ketones, 1k smoothly converts non-enolizable carbonyls to CF(2) groups, and carboxylic groups to CF(3) groups, in high yields. 1k also converts C(=S) and CH(3)SC(=S)O groups to CF(2) and CF(3)O groups, respectively, in high yields. In addition, 1k effects highly stereoselective deoxofluoro-arylsulfinylation of diols and amino alcohols to give fluoroalkyl arylsulfinates and arylsulfinamides, with complete inversion of configuration at fluorine and the simultaneous, selective formation of one conformational isomer at the sulfoxide sulfur atom. Considering the unique and diverse properties, relative safety, and ease of handling of 1k in addition to its convenient synthesis, it is expected to find considerable use as a novel fluorinating agent in both academic and industrial arenas.

CF3 oxonium salts, O-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzofuranium salts: in situ synthesis, properties, and application as a real CF3+ species reagent.

We report in situ synthesis of the first CF(3) oxonium salts, thermally unstable O-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzofuranium salts, which furthermore have different counteranions (BF(4)-, PF(6)-, SbF(6)-, and Sb(2)F(11)-) and ring substituents (tert-butyl, F, and OCH(3)), by photochemical decomposition of the corresponding 2-(trifluoromethoxy)biphenylyl-2'-diazonium salts at -90 to -100 degrees C. The yields markedly increased in the order of BF(4)- < PF(6)- < SbF(6)- < Sb(2)F(11)-. The CF(3) oxonium salts were fully assigned by means of (1)H and (19)F NMR spectroscopy at low temperature. The CF(3) salts decomposed to form CF(4) and dibenzofurans. The half-life times at -60 degrees C of the 2-tert-butyl salts having different counteranions were 29 min for BF(4)- salt 2d, 36 min for PF(6)- salt 2c, 270 min for SbF(6)- salt 2a, and 415 min for Sb(2)F(11)- salt 2b. Those at -60 degrees C of the Sb(2)F(11)- salts having different 2-substituents were 13 min for F salt 3b, 63 min for H (unsubstituted) salt 1b, and 415 min for tert-butyl salt 2b. Thus, the stability of the CF(3) oxonium salts increased in the order of BF(4)- < PF(6)- < SbF(6)- < Sb(2)F(11)- and F < H < tert-butyl, which is in accord with the increasing orders of the non-nucleophilicity of counteranions and the electron-donating effect of ring substituents. 2-tert-Butyl-O-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzofuranium hexafluoroantimonate (2a) was thus chosen and successfully applied as a real CF(3)+ species source to the direct O- and N-trifluoromethylations of alcohols, phenols, amines, anilines, and pyridines under very mild conditions. The thermal decomposition method with a mixture of diazonium salt 17a and aryl- or alkylsulfonic acids, pyridine, or pyridines having an electron-withdrawing group also afforded CF(3)O or CF(3)N products. The trifluoromethylation mechanism is discussed and an S(N)2 mechanism containing the transient formation of free CF(3)+ is proposed. Thus, the present study has demonstrated that the exceedingly reactive CF(3)+ species can be generated much easier than the CH(3)+ species, contrary to the common sense that CF(3)+ is extremely difficult to generate in solution.