The enantioselective, catalytic vicinal difluorination of alkenes is reported by II/IIII catalysis using a novel, C2‐symmetric resorcinol derivative. Catalyst turnover via in situ generation of an ArIIIIF2 species is enabled by Selectfluor oxidation and addition of an inexpensive HF–amine complex. The HF:amine ratio employed in this process provides a handle for regioselective orthogonality as a function of Brønsted acidity. Selectivity reversal from the 1,1‐difluorination pathway (geminal) to the desired 1,2‐difluorination (vicinal) is disclosed (>20:1 in both directions). Validation with electron deficient styrenes facilitates generation of chiral bioisosteres of the venerable CF3 unit that is pervasive in drug discovery (20 examples, up to 94:06 e.r.). An achiral variant of the reaction is also presented using p‐TolI (up to >95 % yield).

A geminal difluorination of alkenes based on I­(I)/I­(III) catalysis is disclosed, which is compatible with a range of electronically and substitutionally diverse styrenes (27 examples, up to 89% yield). Employing inexpensive p-TolI as the organocatalyst, turnover is enabled by Selectfluor-mediated oxidation to generate the ArIF2 species in situ. Extension to include α-substituted styrenes bearing fluorine-containing groups is disclosed and provides an expansive platform for the generation of fluorine-rich architectures.

Pervasive in Nature, the propane unit is an essential component of numerous bioactive molecules. These range from acyclic systems, such as the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid, through to the bicyclic nuclei of various chromanes and dihydrobenzofurans. In the latter case, cyclisation via cyclic ether formation ensures a highly pre-organised structure, whilst linear scaffolds display more dynamic conformational behaviour resulting from rotation about the two internal C(sp )-C(sp ) bonds. In this study, the replacement of -[CH ]- units by -[CHF]- centres is evaluated as a strategy to achieve acyclic conformational control by hindering these internal rotations. Reinforcing, non-covalent fluorine interactions are validated as powerful design features that result in programmable conformational behaviours: These are encoded by the relative configuration of each centre. By exploiting cooperative neighbouring stereoelectronic effects in a multi-vicinal fluoroalkane it is possible to emulate the overall conformation of the dihydrobenzofuran scaffold found in a variety of natural products with an acyclic mimic. This is described as a function of two bond vectors at the chain termini and validated by combined theoretical, crystallographic and spectroscopic analyses. In view of the favourable physicochemical properties associated with fluorine introduction, this approach to bioactive scaffold design may prove to be expansive.

The vicinal frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) mes2P-CH2CH2-B(C6F5)2 (3) reacts with phenyl(trimethylsilyl)acetylene by 1,1-carboboration to give the extended C3-bridged FLP 6 featuring a substituted vinylborane subunit. The FLP 6 actively cleaves dihydrogen. The FLP 3 also undergoes a 1,1-carboboration reaction with diphenylphosphino(trimethylsilyl)acetylene to give the P/B/P FLP 11 that features a central unsaturated four-membered heterocyclic P/B FLP and a pendant CH2CH2-Pmes2 functional group. Compound 11 reacts with nitric oxide (NO) by oxidation of the pendant Pmes2 unit to the P(O)mes2 phosphine oxide and N,N-addition of the P/B FLP unit to NO to yield the persistent P/B/PO FLPNO aminoxyl radical 14. This reaction is initiated by P(O)mes2 formation and opening of the central Ph2P···B(C6F5)2 linkage triggered by the pendant CH2CH2-P(O)mes2 group.

Herein, we describe a catalytic fluorooxygenation of readily accessible N-allylcarboxamides via an I(I)/I(III) manifold to generate 2-oxazolines containing a fluoromethyl group. Catalysis is conditional on the oxidation competence of Selectfluor®, whilst HF serves as both a fluoride source and Brønsted acid activator. The C(sp3)–F bond of the mono-fluoromethyl unit and the C(sp3)–O bond of the ring are aligned in a synclinal relationship thereby engaging in stabilising hyperconjugative interactions with vicinal, electron-rich σ-bonds (σC–C→σ*C–F and σC–H→σ*C–O). This manifestation of the stereoelectronic gauche effect was established by X-ray crystallographic analysis of a representative example. Given the importance of fluorine in drug discovery, its ability to modulate conformation, and the prevalence of the 2-oxazoline scaffold in Nature, this strategy provides a rapid entry into an important bioisostere class.