Photoredox-catalyzed selective deuterodefluorination of α,α-difluoroarylacetic esters and amides

Abstract

A highly selective photocatalytic deuterodefluorination of fluorinated esters with D₂O is presented. By tailoring the catalytic system, a variety of α,α-difluoroaryl acetates underwent selective defluorination/deuteration to afford the 2-fluoro-2-arylacetate-d and 2-arylacetate-d₂ in good yields with excellent deuteration rate. Satisfactorily, this protocol was successfully applied to deuterate some drug molecules, such as the felbinacethyl-d₂ and felbilnac-d₂.