Visible light photocatalytic acyldifluoroalkylation of unactivated alkenes for the direct synthesis of gem-difluorinated ketones

Abstract

A visible-light-induced acyldifluoroalkylation of unactivated alkenes with difluoroacetic acids as the difluoroalkylation reagent and PhI(OAc)₂ as the oxidant is described. Various gem-difluorinated cyclic ketones, including chroman-4-ones, indanones, 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-ones, 2,3-dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones, and cyclopent-2-enones, are efficiently synthesized with excellent functional group compatibility at room temperature.