Catalysis for fluorination and trifluoromethylation

When incorporated into organic compounds, fluorine atoms often impart useful properties. For example, fluorination improves the thermal stability of some materials, and enhances the metabolic stability of some pharmaceuticals. Recent advances make it possible to create carbon–fluorine bonds at specific positions in complex organic molecules, paving the way for a new and potentially productive era in fluorination chemistry. In this Review, Furuya et al. describe the inherent challenges associated with carbon–fluorine bond-formation reactions, discuss the breakthroughs that have helped to overcome these problems and outline the likely direction of future research. Recent advances in catalysis have made the incorporation of fluorine into complex organic molecules easier than ever before, but selective, general and practical fluorination reactions remain sought after. Fluorination of molecules often imparts desirable properties, such as metabolic and thermal stability, and fluorinated molecules are therefore frequently used as pharmaceuticals or materials. But the formation of carbon−fluorine bonds in complex molecules is a significant challenge. Here we discuss reactions to make organofluorides that have emerged within the past few years and which exemplify how to overcome some of the intricate challenges associated with fluorination.