<i>cis</i>-Specific cyanofluorination of vinyl azides enabled by electron-donor–acceptor complexes: synthesis of α-azido-β-fluoronitriles

Abstract

Here we report a novel electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complex-enabled three-component cyanofluorination of vinyl azides under metal-free conditions in a cis-specific manner. This reaction protocol is operationally simple without exclusion of either moisture or oxygen, allowing access to a wide range of highly-functionalized α-azido-β-fluoronitriles bearing quaternary carbons that are difficult to obtain by existing methods.