Redox Neutral Radical-Relay Cobalt Catalysis toward C–H Fluorination and Amination

Abstract

A redox neutral radical-relay cobalt-catalyzed intramolecular C-H fluorination of <i>N</i>-fluoroamides featuring the in situ formed cobalt fluorides as the latent radical fluorinating agents is reported. Moreover, the reactivity of such a cobalt catalysis could be diverted from C-H fluorination to amination by engineering substrates' conformational flexibility. Preliminary mechanistic studies (UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry studies and DFT calculations, etc.) support the reaction proceeding a redox neutral radical-relay mechanism.