Organo-Fluorine Chemical Science

Printed Edition Availble A printed edition of this special issue is available: website Image credit to: EMSL (ISBN 3-906980-33-2) Special Issue Organo-Fluorine Chemical Science Inventing the Fluorine Future 2012 Helmut Martin Hügel (Ed.) ISBN 3-906980-33-2

Dear Colleagues,

The unique properties imparted on molecules by fluorine substitution, continues to be the subject of intense research as the products have widespread application in all areas of science. Incorporation of fluorine can productively and unpredictably modulate several properties that interest medicinal chemists. Selected drugs for the treatment of high cholesterol such as LipitorⓇ by Pfizer, CrestorⓇ by AstraZeneca, ZetiaⓇ by Merck/Schering-Plough and LescolⓇ by Novartis all of which contain one or more fluorine atoms that increase metabolic stability, rank amongst the highest selling prescription drugs ever developed. Without doubt every current drug discovery and development program includes and evaluates fluorine-containing drug candidates. A one step ¹⁸F-labeling of peptides that contain a specific arene group has emerged that is rapid and simple to perform for ¹⁸F PET (positron emission tomography) an in vivo imaging technology for medical use has potential wide application. The synthesis of many pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals with fluorine atoms or groups is closely dependent on the development of new chemical methodologies by organic and industrial chemists. Monofluoroalkenes are known as nonisomerable, nonhydrolyzable stable bioisosteres of amide bonds and recently published highly enantio- and diastereoselective organocatalytic monofluorovinylations reactions have led to the isolation of monofluorovinylated products. A practical methodology for the enatioselective a-fluorination of ketene enolates has been optimized by the utilization of a three-component catalysis system provides an array of a-fluorocarboxylic acid derivatives. A generally useful coupling protocol for copper-catalyzed 1H-perfluoroalkane arylation by aryl iodides allows ready access to a range of perfluoroalkyl substituted aromatic compounds. Tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) is the organofluorine feedstock for the production of poly-(tetrafluoroethylene)polymers that have many applications. The transformation of TFE to a,b,b,-trifluorostyrenes via palladium-catalyzed coupling and arylzincs has been achieved in excellent yields and paves the way to new fluorine-polymers. The deployment of a fluorine substituted conjugated polymer in photovoltaic cells exhibited medium band gap yields above 7% attributed in part to the increased hole mobility of the fluorinated polymer. Organo-fluorine chemistry has had an enormous global impact on science and society, the fluorine fever continues to flourish and grow and we are delighted that experts in this field have agreed to contribute their research achievements to this special issue.

Dr. Helmut Martin Hügel
Guest Editor