Synthesis of polyfluoroalkyl aza-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons enabled by addition of perfluoroalkyl radicals onto vinyl azides.

Radical perfluoroalkylation of α-(biaryl-2-yl)vinyl azides is capable of supplying polyfluoroalkyl aza-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (aza-PAHs). Commercially available Me3SiRf (Rf = CF3, C2F5, and C3F7) are employed as the sources of perfluoroalkyl radicals upon oxidation with PhI(OAc)2. The addition of perfluoroalkyl radicals to biarylvinyl azides generates the corresponding iminyl radicals, which subsequently cyclize with the intramolecular arene moiety, furnishing aza-PAH skeletons having polyfluoroalkyl (RfCH2) function.