Photocatalyzed difluoroalkylation of pyridine N-oxides

Abstract

A photoredox catalytic strategy has been developed for the regioselective C2-, or C4-difluoroalkylation of pyridine N-oxides under mild conditions. This method provides an efficient protocol for the incorporation of electrophilic difluoroacetate radical (CF₂CO₂Et) into pyridine skeletons, based on the strategy of nitrogen-atom activation on electron-deficient pyridine moieties.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Difluoroalkylation
• photoredox catalysis
• pyridine N-oxide
• radical reaction
• synthetic methods

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Laboratory of Micro-structures of Shanghai University for structure analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21572128 and 21672139).