Photo-induced hydroxypentafluorosulfanylation of alkenes with SF₅Cl and oxygen gas and their further derivatization.

Abstract

Fluorinated or fluoroalkylated alcohols are common structural motifs in biologically active molecules, natural products, and pharmaceuticals. However, pentafluorosulfanyl (SF₅) alcohols, a unique class of SF₅ compounds that serve as synthetically valuable building blocks, are difficult to prepare with current methodologies. In this article, we present a single-step, metal-free, and photo-induced hydroxypentafluorosulfanylation of styrenes or α,β-unsaturated esters/amide, producing a series of structurally diverse pentafluorosulfanyl alcohols with up to 89% yields. This reaction is mild and operationally simple, using molecular oxygen as the hydroxy source. The protocol is suitable for a wide range of alkenes, including natural products and drug molecule derivatives. The formed SF₅ alcohol units can be readily converted into diverse functionalized SF₅ compounds, such as α-SF₅ ketones, SF₅ diols, and SF₅ cyclic carbonates. The potential applications of these SF₅ compounds in pharmaceutical and material sciences are vast, making this research a step forward in the field.