Mechanistic Investigations into Amination of Unactivated Arenes via Cation Radical Accelerated Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution.

A mechanistic investigation into the amination of electron-neutral and electron-rich arenes using organic photoredox catalysis is presented. Kinetic and computational data support rate-limiting nucleophilic addition into an arene cation radical using both azole and primary amine nucleophiles. This finding is consistent with both fluoride and alkoxide nucleofuges, supporting a unified mechanistic picture using cation radical accelerated nucleophilic aromatic substitution (CRA-SNAr). Electrochemistry and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy confirm the key role solvents play in enabling selective arene oxidation in the presence of amines. The synthetic limitations of xanthylium salts are elucidated via photophysical studies. An alternative catalyst scaffold with improved turnover numbers is presented.

Arene radiofluorination enabled by photoredox-mediated halide interconversion.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful imaging technology that can visualize and measure metabolic processes in vivo and/or obtain unique information about drug candidates. The identification of new and improved molecular probes plays a critical role in PET, but its progress is somewhat limited due to the lack of efficient and simple labelling methods to modify biologically active small molecules and/or drugs. Current methods to radiofluorinate unactivated arenes are still relatively limited, especially in a simple and site-selective way. Here we disclose a method for constructing C-18F bonds through direct halide/18F conversion in electron-rich halo(hetero)arenes. [18F]F- is introduced into a broad spectrum of readily available aryl halide precursors in a site-selective manner under mild photoredox conditions. Notably, our direct 19F/18F exchange method enables rapid PET probe diversification through the preparation and evaluation of an [18F]-labelled O-methyl tyrosine library. This strategy also results in the high-yielding synthesis of the widely used PET agent L-[18F]FDOPA from a readily available L-FDOPA analogue.

Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution of Unactivated Fluoroarenes Enabled by Organic Photoredox Catalysis.

Nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) is a classical reaction with well-known reactivity toward electron-poor fluoroarenes. However, electron-neutral and electron-rich fluoro(hetero)arenes are considerably underrepresented. Herein, we present a method for the nucleophilic defluorination of unactivated fluoroarenes enabled by cation radical-accelerated nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The use of organic photoredox catalysis renders this method operationally simple under mild conditions and is amenable to various nucleophile classes, including azoles, amines, and carboxylic acids. Select fluorinated heterocycles can be functionalized using this method. In addition, the late-stage functionalization of pharmaceuticals is also presented. Computational studies demonstrate that the site selectivity of the reaction is dictated by arene electronics.

19F- and 18F-Arene Deoxyfluorination via Organic Photoredox-Catalysed Polarity-Reversed Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution.

Nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) is routinely used to install 19F- and 18F- in aromatic molecules, but is typically limited to electron-deficient arenes due to kinetic barriers associated with C-F bond formation. Here we demonstrate that a polarity-reversed photoredox-catalysed arene deoxyfluorination operating via cation radical-accelerated nucleophilic aromatic substitution (CRA-SNAr) enables the fluorination of electron-rich arenes with 19F- and 18F- under mild conditions, thus complementing the traditional arene polarity requirements necessary for SNAr-based fluorination. The utility of our radiofluorination strategy is highlighted by short reaction times, compatibility with multiple nucleofuges, and high radiofluorination yields, especially that of an important cancer positron emission tomography (PET) agent [18F]5-fluorouracil ([18F]FU). Taken together, our fluorination approach enables the development of fluorinated and radiofluorinated compounds that can be difficult to access by classical SNAr strategies, with the potential for use in the synthesis and discovery of PET radiopharmaceuticals.

Oxidation of α-trifluoromethyl and non-fluorinated alcohols via the merger of oxoammonium cations and photoredox catalysis.

We present an alcohol oxidation strategy to access α-trifluoromethyl ketones (TFMKs) merging catalytic oxoammonium cation oxidation with visible-light photoredox catalysis. This work uses 4-acetamido-(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidin-1-yl)oxyl as an organic oxidant capable of generating TFMKs in good yields. The methodology serves as an improvement over previous reports of an analogous oxidation strategy requiring superstoichiometric quantities of oxidant. Both primary and secondary non-fluorinated alcohols can also be oxidised in good yields.

Accessing N-Acyl Azoles via Oxoammonium Salt-Mediated Oxidative Amidation.

An operationally simple, robust, metal-free approach to the synthesis of N-acyl azoles from both alcohols and aldehydes is described. Oxidative amidation is facilitated by a commercially available organic oxidant (4-acetamido-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxoammonium tetrafluoroborate) and proceeds under very mild conditions for an array of structurally diverse substrates. Tandem reactions of these activated amides, such as transamidation and esterification, enable further elaboration. Also, the spent oxidant can be recovered and used to regenerate the oxoammonium salt.