Ligand‐Controlled Copper‐Catalyzed Highly Regioselective Difluoromethylation of Allylic Chlorides/Bromides and Propargyl Bromides

Highly regiodivergent copper‐catalyzed allylic/propargylic difluoromethylation reactions by employing different ligands are described. When 5,6‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline was used as the ligand, exclusively α‐difluoromethylated products were obtained, while γ‐selective difluoromethylated products were generated when N ‐heterocyclic carbene‐SIPr was used as the ligand. Likewise, high α‐ vs. γ‐selectivities were achieved in the presence of similar copper catalysts for the reactions of propargyl bromides. Moreover, a copper‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic difluoromethylation reaction with moderate to good enantioselectivity by the use of chiral ligands was developed.