However, the preparation of N-F reagents usually requires molecular fluorine, rendering them rather expensive and not practical for large-scale syntheses.Ģ.1. All these reagents are shelf-stable, easy to handle and operationally convenient to use for various synthetic applications. Shibata, are N-fluoro- N-(methylsulfonyl)methanesulfonamide (Me-NFSI) ( 2), 3,5-di- tert-butyl- N-((3,5-di- tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenyl)sulfonyl)- N-fluoro-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide (NFBSI) ( 3) and axially chiral NFSIs ( 4), which can be used for enantioselective fluorination. Other reagents, developed by Professor N. Banks, also known as Selectfluor, is one of the best reagents used as a source of “electrophilic fluorine”. For example, as presented in Figure 1, 1-chloromethyl-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclooctane bis(tetrafluoroborate) ( 1), introduced by Professor E. The most successful results have been achieved utilizing compounds with N–F bonds. The major thrust of research activity in this field was centered on the development of the corresponding reagents capable of releasing the required “electrophilic fluorine”.
While the former is a well-established chemical unit, the “electrophilic fluorine” is still a rather exotic and mechanistically controversial entity. Conceptually, this approach requires a carbon-centered nucleophile and an electrophilic source of fluorine. In this regard, electrophilic fluorination is one of the most pioneering and rapidly developing areas of study. Nevertheless, while some complex polyfunctional fluorine-containing molecules possessing useful properties represent the ultimate target of synthetic chemistry, more fundamental research still focuses on the formation of the C–F bond.
For instance, the recent progress in asymmetric synthesis of fluorine-containing tailor-made amino acids was stimulated by growth in their applications to drug design magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and peptide/protein engineering. To sustain the continuous advancement and pace of the innovations enabled by fluorine, many research groups are focusing on new methodological inventions allowing for more selective and economical syntheses of structurally diverse fluoro-organic compounds. The most notable impact of fluorine can be seen in materials, agriculture and health-related industries. Over the last two decades, the chemistry of fluorine-containing compounds has emerged as one of the exciting areas of multidisciplinary research.