Project Details
Projekt
Towards greener trifluoromethylation cross-coupling reactions
Applicant
Professorin Ala Bunescu, Ph.D.
Subject Area
Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
Term
since 2025
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 568490205
The proposal aims to study and develop photoinduced trifluoromethylation cross-coupling reactions with catalysts based on earth-abundant transition metals (Fe and Cu). The project aims to enable the use of readily accessible and easy-to-handle trifluoroacetic acid as radical organofluorinating reagents. The objectives of the proposal will be achieved via photoinduced decarboxylative carboxylate to Fe(III) charge transfer. The resulting intermolecular electron transfer will facilitate the generation of trifluoromethyl radical directly from trifluoroacetic acid, which otherwise requires strong oxidants. The trifluoromethyl radical will further engage in a coupling reaction mediated by a second copper-based co-catalyst. The developed methodology will be later extended to other analogous fluorinated acids and applied to the late-stage diversification of biologically relevant molecules.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
