Electrocatalytic reactivity of imine/oxime-type cobalt complex for direct perfluoroalkylation of indole and aniline derivatives.

Imine/oxime-type cobalt complexes, regarded as simple vitamin B12 model complexes, were utilized as catalysts for direct C–H perfluoroalkylations of indole and aniline derivatives with nonafluorobutyl iodide (n-C4F9I) as the readily available perfluoroalkyl source. The synthetic approach described herein was performed under mild reaction conditions driven by controlled-potential electrolysis at –0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl in organic solvents. The mechanistic investigations suggest that a nonafluoroalkyl radical is mediated by homolytic cleavage of the cobalt(III)–carbon bond in the catalytic cycle. This is the first report concerning a fluoroalkylation reaction of (hetero)aromatics catalyzed by the simple vitamin B12 model complex. The convenient electrocatalytic method employing a simple cobalt complex provides a facile synthesis method toward novel fluoroalkylated compounds, demonstrating potential applications in the fields of pharmaneutical chemistry and materials science.