Copper-Catalyzed O-Difluoromethylation of Functionalized Aliphatic Alcohols: Access to Complex Organic Molecules with an OCF2H Group
- Kostiantyn Levchenko
- ,
- Olexandr P. Datsenko
- ,
- Oleh Serhiichuk
- ,
- Andrei Tolmachev
- ,
- Viktor O. Iaroshenko
- , and
- Pavel K. Mykhailiuk
Abstract

A two-step synthetic strategy toward difluoromethyl ethers via a CuI-catalyzed reaction of the alcohols, bearing additional protected functionalities, with FSO2CF2CO2H has been developed. The high potential of the developed protocol has been shown by preparing novel OCF2H-analogues of GABA and l-proline. The described transformation has good functional group compatibility and can serve as a powerful synthetic tool for late-stage preparation of complex OCF2H-containing organic compounds as well as building blocks for drug discovery.
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