Chromium(ii)-catalyzed defluorinative reductive cross-coupling of acetals with α-trifluoromethyl alkenes

Abstract

We report here the chromium(II)-catalyzed defluorinative reductive cross-coupling reaction of acetals with α-trifluoromethyl alkenes. α-Alkoxyalkyl radicals are generated from acetals under the synergistic effect of catalytic chromium and trimethylsilyl chloride. Subsequent selective cross-coupling of the radicals with α-trifluoromethyl alkenes provides a synthetic route to gem-difluoroalkenes that contain an alkoxy substituent at the homoallylic position.