Fluoride-Triggered Synthesis of 1-Aryl-2,2-difluoroalkenes via Desilylative Defluorination of (1-Aryl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl-silanes

An efficient route for the synthesis of 1-aryl-2,2-difluoroalkenes via 1,2-desilylative defluorination is disclosed. Only a catalytic amount of fluoride source is required to initiate the desilylation and afford gem-difluoroalkenes in very good to quantitative yields, using mild reaction conditions in dimethyl carbonate as a green solvent. This reaction uses (1-aryl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl-silanes, which are easily prepared via the insertion reaction of trifluoroethyl diazo alkanes into the Si-H bond of tertiary organosilanes. (1-Aryl)-perfluoroalkyl-silanes cleanly afford the corresponding (Z)-1-benzylideneperfluoroalkanes, which upon hydrodefluorination furnish the (E)-β(perfluoroalkyl)styrene derivatives with excellent yield and complete stereoselectivity. A one-pot system involving sequential insertion and desilylative-defluorination is also suitable for this transformation. This method demonstrates the usefulness of organosilanes toward the preparation of fluorinated alkenes as synthetically useful targets.