C-H Bond Trifluoromethylation of Arenes Enabled by a Robust, High-Valent Nickel(IV) Complex.

The robust, high-valent Ni(IV) complex [(Py)2 Ni(IV) F2 (CF3 )2 ] (Py=pyridine) was synthesized and fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and elemental analysis. It reacts with aromatic compounds at 25 °C to form the corresponding benzotrifluorides in nearly quantitative yield. The monomeric and dimeric Ni(III) CF3 complexes 2⋅Py and 2 were identified as key intermediates, and their structures were unambiguously determined by EPR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Preliminary kinetic studies in combination with the isolation of reaction intermediates confirmed that the C-H bond-breaking/C-CF3 bond-forming sequence can occur both at Ni(IV) CF3 and Ni(III) CF3 centers.