Copper-Catalyzed Formal Dehydrogenative Coupling of Carbonyls with Polyfluoroarenes Leading to β‑C–H Arylation

We herein communicate a formal dehydrogenative
coupling of carbonyls
with polyfluoroarenes enabled by Cu catalysis. Silyl enol ethers initially
prepared from carbonyls are postulated to undergo the copper-mediated
oxidative dehydrogenative coupling with polyfluoroarenes via a radical
pathway. Including cyclic and linear ketones, aldehydes, and esters,
a broad range of β-aryl carbonyl products were efficiently obtained
in high regio- and stereoselectivity with excellent functional group
tolerance.