Lewis Acid-Mediated Defluorination of Trifluoromethylarenes To Access Trivalent Phosphines

Considering the strong inertness of the C-F bond, defluorinative functionalization of aromatic trifluoromethyl substrates has long been a formidable challenge, particularly with new functional groups introduced. Herein, we report a Lewis acid-mediated defluorinative transformation of aryl trifluoromethyl skeletons, enabling efficient access to trivalent phosphorus compounds. The reaction proceeds under simple conditions with high efficiency and broad substrate scope, and its demonstrated scalability further underscores its practical value. Moreover, aryl difluoro- and monofluoromethyl candidates can also undergo smooth conversion to the corresponding trivalent phosphines under these conditions, offering a novel protocol for the synthesis of phosphorus products.