A Twist of Chemistry: Using Alcohols to Build Fluoroalkylated Bridged Biaryls

Scientists have found a simple and effective way to create special molecules called bridged biaryls. They did this by combining alcohols with a specific type of biaryl oxazepine that has fluoroalkyl groups attached. Using a catalyst called chiral phosphoric acid, they were able to add the alcohols to the biaryls in a precise and efficient manner. This process led to the creation of a wide range of bridged biaryls with excellent yields (up to 99%) and high levels of enantioselectivity (up to 98%). These bridged biaryls have a unique feature: a fluoroalkylated quaternary carbon atom on their seven-membered ring. This method is not only efficient but also has practical applications. It can be used to modify natural products and bioactive molecules, providing new ways to study and potentially develop better treatments. Early tests showed that the products from this reaction can fight plant pathogens in lab conditions. It's important to note that the success of this process relies heavily on the enantioselectivity, which means the ability to control the mirror-image forms of the molecules being created. This is a key aspect that scientists have achieved very well in this study.