Photo-organocatalytic Enantioselective Perfluoroalkylation of β‑Ketoesters

The
visible-light-driven, phase-transfer-catalyzed, enantioselective
perfluoroalkylation and trifluoromethylation of cyclic β-ketoesters
is described. The photo-organocatalytic process, which occurs at ambient
temperature and under visible light illumination, is triggered by
the photochemical activity of in situ-generated electron
donor–acceptor complexes, arising from the association of chiral
enolates and perfluoroalkyl iodides. Preliminary mechanistic studies
are reported.