Initial Investigation of the Direct Incorporation of the 1,1,2-Trifluoroethyl Substituent into Organic Compounds

The 1,1,2-trifluoroethyl substituent should have considerable potential in the design of new biologically active molecules, combining the beneficial qualities of a more metabolically stable CH2F substituent and the positive electron-withdrawing impact of a fluoroalkyl substituent. A synthetic source of the 1,1,2-trifluoroethyl substituent has now been designed, synthesized, and utilized. Thus, the synthesis of diphenyl(1,1,2-trifluoroethyl)sulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate and its use in the direct incorporation of the 1,1,2-trifluoroethyl substituent into a variety of organic molecules via visible light/photoredox and nucleophilic chemistry is reported in this paper.