Synthetic applications of α,α-difluoroarylacetic acids and salts via decarboxylative functionalization

Abstract

α,α-Difluoroarylacetic acids are stable, inexpensive and readily available building blocks, which have been recently utilized as synthons to access various difluoromethylated aryl motifs via decarboxylative functionalization, such as alkylation, allylation, alkynylation, arylation, fluorination and the formation of carbon–heteroatom (O, S) bonds. In this review, we systematically summarize the decarboxylative functionalization of α,α-difluoroarylacetic acids and salts, and their mechanisms are also discussed.