A New Method for Aromatic Difluoromethylation: Copper-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling and Decarboxylation Sequence from Aryl Iodides

Abstract

A new methodology for aromatic difluoromethylation is described. Aryl iodides reacted with α-silyldifluoroacetates upon treatment with copper catalyst in DMSO or DME to give the corresponding aryldifluoroacetates in moderate to good yields. The subsequent hydrolysis of aryldifluoroacetates and KF-promoted decarboxylation afforded a variety of difluoromethyl aromatics.