gem -Difluoroallylation of Unactivated Alkanes Enabled by Core-Fluorinated Acridine d-HAT Catalysis

Organic Letters 2026

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Authors: Chunhua Xu, Zhijie Zhang, Yuan Kong, Ziyi Wu, Jie Zhang, Lijun Tang, Zhen Chen
DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6c01553
Cited by: 1
References: 49

Abstract

Herein, we report a metal-free gem -difluoroallylation of unactivated alkanes enabled by core-fluorinated acridine d-HAT catalysis. Systematic catalyst evaluation reveals that substitution at the acridine core profoundly influences reactivity, with a 2-fluoro substituent providing optimal performance. The transformation proceeds under mild conditions and affords gem -difluoroalkenes with a broad substrate scope. Mechanistic studies support a radical pathway involving hydrogen atom transfer and subsequent β-fluoride elimination. These findings establish acridine core engineering as a general strategy for nitrogen-centered d-HAT catalysis.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Fluorine in Organic Chemistry Radical Photochemical Reactions Catalytic C–H Functionalization Methods

Publication details

Journal / source
Organic Letters
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Volume
28
Issue
21
Pages
6715–6721
Publication date
15 May 2026
Language
EN