Ruthenium-catalyzed C-C coupling of fluorinated alcohols with allenes: dehydrogenation at the energetic limit of β-hydride elimination

Ruthenium(II) complexes catalyze the CC coupling of 1,1-disubstituted allenes and fluorinated alcohols to form homoallylic alcohols bearing all-carbon quaternary centers with good to complete levels of diastereoselectivity. Whereas fluorinated alcohols are relatively abundant and tractable, the corresponding aldehydes are often not commercially available because of their instability.