Regioselective Difluoroalkylation of 2‐Pyridones with Fluoroalkyl Bromides Enabled by a Nickel(II) Catalyst

Regioselective C−H difluoroalkylation of diverse 2‐pyridones with ethyl bromodifluoroacetates and bromodifluoroacetamides is accomplished by using a (dppf)NiCl2 catalyst under mild conditions. This efficient protocol could deliver a variety of C‐3 difluoroalkylated pyridones with the tolerance of a range of highly susceptible functionalities, such as −Cl, −Br, −I, −COMe, −CN, −NMe2 and −NO2, including heteroarenes like pyridinyl, furanyl, thiophenyl and carbazolyl moieties. A preliminary mechanistic study suggests the radical pathway for the reaction involving fluoroalkyl radical intermediate.