A review of frustrated Lewis pair enabled monoselective C–F bond activation

Abstract

Frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) bond activation chemistry has greatly developed over the last two decades since the seminal report of metal-free reversible hydrogen activation. Recently, FLP systems have been utilized to allow monoselective C–F bond activation (at equivalent sites) in polyfluoroalkanes. The problem of ‘over-defluorination’ in the functionalization of polyfluoroalkanes (where multiple fluoro-positions are uncontrollably functionalized) has been a long-standing chemical problem in fluorocarbon chemistry for over 80 years. FLP mediated monoselective C–F bond activation is complementary to other solutions developed to address ‘over-defluorination’ and offers several advantages and unique opportunities. This perspective highlights some of these advantages and opportunities and places the development of FLP mediated C–F bond activation into the context of the wider effort to overcome ‘over-defluorination’.