Direct Nucleophilic Difluoromethylation of Aromatic Isoxazoles Activated by Electron-Withdrawing Groups Using (Difluoromethyl)trimethylsilane

Abstract

The activation of aromatic diaryl isoxazoles with strong electron-withdrawing groups, such as the nitro, triflyl and the phenylsulfonyl groups, at the 4-position has enabled the first regio- and diastereoselective difluoromethylation at the 5-position of isoxazoles by nucleophilic addition using (difluoromethyl)trimethylsilane, Me3SiCF2H, to provide difluoromethylated isoxazolines in good yields. Conjugated styryl-4-nitroisoxazoles were also nicely converted into the corresponding CF2H adducts with high regio- and excellent diastereoselectivities. Since the trifluoromethylated analogues of the corresponding diaryl-isoxazolines are effective ectoparasiticides, represented by fluralaner, should a series of difluoromethylated isoxazolines be obtained, they would be of great importance as promising drug candidates in this field.