Hydrochlorofluoromethylation of Unactivated Alkenes with Chlorofluoroacetic Acid

An operationally simple method enabling hydrochlorofluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes under visible light activation is reported. The procedure has various benefits. It uses commercially available and inexpensive chlorofluoroacetic acid and phenyliodine(III) diacetate for the generation of the required chlorofluoromethyl radical, it converts feedstock olefins into attractive 1-chloro-1-fluoroalkanes, and it tolerates a broad variety of functional groups. The chlorofluoromethyl radical has a reactivity profile towards alkenes similar to the nucleophilic difluoromethyl radical.