Direct Synthesis of α-Aryl-α-Trifluoromethyl Alcohols via Nickel Catalyzed Cross-Electrophile Coupling

摘要

A nickel-catalyzed reductive cross-electrophile coupling between the redox-active N-trifluoroeth-oxyphthalimide and iodoarenes is documented. The protocol reproduces a formal arylation of trifluoroace-taldehyde under mild conditions in high yields (up to 88) and with large functional group tolerance (30 examples). A combined computational and experimental investigation revealed a pivotal solvent assisted 1,2-Hydrogen Atom Transfer (HAT) process to generate a nucleophilic α-hydroxy-α-trifluoromethyl C-centered radical for the Csp~2-Csp~3 bond forming process.