Reductive Preparation of Fluoroalkyl Copper Complexes from Perfluorinated Alkyl Iodides Using Diboron

The reductive synthesis of fluoroalkyl copper phenanthroline complexes from fluoroalkyl iodides, using diboron as a reductant, is reported in this study. The structure of Cu(C₄F₉)(phen), isolated as a phosphine adduct, was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. These copper complexes underwent smooth cross-coupling with aryl iodides under mild conditions to afford fluoroalkylated arenes. Furthermore, a one-pot protocol enabled the reductive coupling of aryl iodides and fluoroalkyl iodides without the need to isolate the intermediate fluoroalkyl copper complexes.