Palladium-Catalyzed Fluoroalkylative Cyclization of Olefins

A palladium-catalyzed fluoroalkylative cyclization of olefins with readily available Rf–I reagents to afford the corresponding fluoroalkylated 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran and indolin derivatives with moderate to excellent yields is reported. This novel procedure provides an efficient method for the construction of Csp3–CF2 and C–O/N bonds in one step. A wide range of functional groups are tolerated. It is proposed that a radical/SET (single electron transfer) pathway proceeding via the fluoroalkyl radical may be involved in the catalytic cycle.