Photoredox radical/polar crossover enables C-H -difunctionalization of 1,3-benzodioxoles for the synthesis of monofluorocyclohexenes.

A photocatalytic C-H -difunctionalization of 1,3-benzodioxoles with two different alkenes for the synthesis of highly functionalized monofluorocyclohexenes is described. Using 4CzIPN as the photocatalyst, the direct single electron oxidation of 1,3-benzodioxoles allows their defluorinative coupling with α-trifluoromethyl alkenes to produce -difluoroalkenes in a redox-neutral radical polar crossover manifold. The C-H bond of the resultant γ,γ-difluoroallylated 1,3-benzodioxoles was further functionalized radical addition to electron-deficient alkenes using a more oxidizing iridium photocatalyst. The capture of generated carbanions by an electrophilic -difluoromethylene carbon and consecutive β-fluoride elimination afford monofluorocyclohexenes. The synergistic combination of multiple termination pathways of carbanions enables rapid incorporation of molecular complexity stitching simple and readily accessible starting materials together.