Recent Advances in Fluoroalkylation Strategies: Exploring Novel Reactivities and Synthetic Applications of Sulfone- and Sulfinate-Based Reagents for Mono-, Di-, and Trifluoromethylations

Abstract Fluoroalkylation serves as a pivotal strategy for chemists to precisely alter the properties of small molecules. Among the established fluoroalkylation protocols, sulfone and sulfinate reagents stand out as versatile tools for these reactions, particularly in mono-, di-, and trifluoromethylations. Their versatility lies in offering multiple pathways, encompassing electrophilic, nucleophilic, as well as radical mechanisms, thus providing diverse routes for controlled molecular modifications through a variety of very exciting mechanistic paths. 1 Introduction 2 Monofluoromethylation Strategies 2.1 Fluorobis(phenylsulfonyl)methane (FBSM) 2.2 2-Fluoro-1,3-benzodithiole-1,1,3,3-tetraoxide (FBDT) 2.3 Benzothiazole-SO2CH2F, NaSO2CH2F, and ClSO2CH2F 2.4 PhSO2CH2F 3 Difluoromethylation Strategies 3.1 PhSO2CF2H 3.2 Benzothiazole-SO2CF2H 3.3 2-PyrSO2CF2H 3.4 NaSO2CF2H 4 Trifluoromethylation Strategies 4.1 PhSO2CF3 4.2 2-PyrSO2CF3 4.3 Benzothiazole-SO2CF3 4.4 NaSO2CF3 4.4.1 Electrochemical Approaches 4.4.2 Photochemical Approaches 4.4.3 Other Noteworthy Approaches 5 Conclusion