Stereoselective Synthesis of Z Fluoroalkenes through Copper-Catalyzed Hydrodefluorination of gem-Difluoroalkenes with Water.

A copper catalytic system was established for the stereoselective hydrodefluorination of gem-difluoroalkenes through C-F activation to synthesize various Z fluoroalkenes. H2 O is used as the hydrogen source for the fluorine acceptor moiety. This mild catalytic system shows good-functional group compatibility, accepting a range of carbonyls as precursors to the gem-difluoroalkenes, including aliphatic, aromatic, and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and even ketones. It serves as a powerful synthetic method for the late-stage modification of complex compounds.