A fluorous Mukaiyama coupling reagent for a concise condensation reaction: utility of medium-fluorous strategy

The entire study of condensation reactions using various fluorous Mukaiyama reagents, including a novel medium-fluorous strategy, is described. A Mukaiyama reagent bearing a medium-fluorous content tag, between 40 and 60% fluorine by weight, was prepared and examined in ester and amide-forming condensation reactions. At the end of the reactions, the fluorous pyridone by-product was effectively separated from non-fluorous components by increasing the water content of the crude reaction mixture and subsequent filtration of the precipitate. It is also shown that Mukaiyama reagents bearing a fluorous tag increase the reaction rate considerably when compared to their non-fluorous tagged counterpart. Interestingly, it was observed that the longer the fluorous chain, the higher the activity of the Mukaiyama reagent.