Scalable and Selective Electrochemical Benzylic C–H Fluoroetherfication to Fluorinated Ethers

Abstract Electrochemical dehydrogenative cross-coupling reaction has become a powerful strategy to construct C–O bonds. However, electrochemically induced benzylic C–H fluoroetherfication still remains a challenge due to the limitations of prefunctionalization, using metal catalysts and chemical oxidants, multiple steps, and a narrow substrate scope. Herein, we present a green and efficient approach to synthesize diverse fluorinated ethers using ethylbenzenes and fluoroalcohols as substrates. This protocol exhibited good scalability. Mechanistic insights suggested that radicals might be involved in this reaction.