Journal Article

Photocatalytic Synthesis of Pentafluorosulfanyl Ketones, Acetals, and BCP Motifs Utilizing SF6

Yang, Yi-Gang, Xu, Haoran, Zhao, Yue, Zheng, Meng-Meng, Ren, Wei-Ran, Nie, Xuan, Jiang, Chen-Hui, Zuo, Ya-Wen, Wang, Xi-Sheng, Jin, Ruo-Xing, Zhu, Shan, Xue, Xiao-Song

2026

Overview

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), a chemically inert and stable gas essential to the electric power industry, poses severe environmental risks due to its persistence and high global warming potential. While traditional degradation methods are inefficient, photocatalytic single electron reduction (SER) enables SF6 activation into SF5 radicals, creating opportunities for both degradation and reutilization. The SF5 group, renowned for its strong electron-withdrawing, lipophilic, and bioisosteric features, has great potential in drug discovery, while efficient methods for synthesizing alkyl- or BCP-SF5 motifs remain scarce. As a safe, inexpensive, and atom-economical alternative to conventional SF5 reagents, SF6 serves as an ideal yet underexplored SF5 source. Herein, we present a photocatalytic strategy for the direct synthesis of diverse SF5-containing scaffolds, including ketones, acetals, and bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane derivatives. Derivatization studies demonstrate its synthetic versatility, particularly in accessing α-SF5-substituted acetaldehydes. Mechanistic and density functional theory (DFT) studies confirm the single electron reduction of SF6, highlighting a mild, efficient, and broadly applicable route for constructing SF5-functionalized architectures in fluorinated drug development.Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), a chemically inert and stable gas essential to the electric power industry, poses severe environmental risks due to its persistence and high global warming potential. While traditional degradation methods are inefficient, photocatalytic single electron reduction (SER) enables SF6 activation into SF5 radicals, creating opportunities for both degradation and reutilization. The SF5 group, renowned for its strong electron-withdrawing, lipophilic, and bioisosteric features, has great potential in drug discovery, while efficient methods for synthesizing alkyl- or BCP-SF5 motifs remain scarce. As a safe, inexpensive, and atom-economical alternative to conventional SF5 reagents, SF6 serves as an ideal yet underexplored SF5 source. Herein, we present a photocatalytic strategy for the direct synthesis of diverse SF5-containing scaffolds, including ketones, acetals, and bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane derivatives. Derivatization studies demonstrate its synthetic versatility, particularly in accessing α-SF5-substituted acetaldehydes. Mechanistic and density functional theory (DFT) studies confirm the single electron reduction of SF6, highlighting a mild, efficient, and broadly applicable route for constructing SF5-functionalized architectures in fluorinated drug development.

• Publisher: Wiley