Process for deoxyfluorination of phenols

1. A method of replacing a hydroxyl group on an aryl or heteroaryl compound bearing the hydroxyl group with a fluorine atom, the method comprising contacting a compound of Formula (I):

with a Cp-Ru-(aryl or heteroaryl)-complex in the presence of a fluorine source under conditions sufficient to fluorinate the aryl or heteroaryl compound bearing the hydroxyl group compound, thereby providing a fluorinated (aryl or heteroaryl) compound, wherein, in Formula (I):

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1-30 aliphatic, aromatic, heteroaliphatic or heteroaromatic hydrocarbons, each of which is optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-20 straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, each being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms, or heteroatoms,

R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1-30 aliphatic, aromatic, heteroaliphatic or heteroaromatic hydrocarbons, each of which is optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-20 straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, each being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms, or heteroatoms, or

R 3 and R 4 together with N—C═N to which they are bonded form a C4-20 ring which may be saturated or unsaturated aliphatic or aromatic, which C4-20 ring is optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-20 straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, the C4-20 ring being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms, or heteroatoms, and the C4-20 ring optionally fused to a C5-20 hydrocarbon ring which may be unsaturated or saturated aliphatic or aromatic including heteroatoms, which C5-20 hydrocarbon ring is optionally substituted by at least one substituent selected from C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, nitro, cyano, halo, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, optionally substituted C6-10 aryl, optionally substituted C6-10 aralkyl, optionally substituted 5-10 membered heteroaryl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclyl, optionally substituted 3-10 membered carbocyclyl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclylalkyl, and acyl, each substituent for the C5-20 hydrocarbon ring being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms;

X being an anion; and

L being a leaving group,

wherein the Cp-Ru-(aryl or heteroaryl)-complex is a Ru complex with a C5 to C30 aromatic or heteroaromatic mono- to polycyclic ring system having at least one aromatic or heteroaromatic ring with one hydroxyl group on said ring, said ring system optionally being further substituted with straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or heteroatoms being selected from halogen, N, O or S, each of said alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or heteroatoms being optionally further substituted or each of said alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or heteroatoms being optionally part of an aliphatic or aromatic ring system, and at least one further ligand optionally being further substituted by one or more heteroatoms or by C1-6 alkyl, optionally being further substituted with halogen.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound of Formula (I) has the Formula (II):

and the method comprises contacting a compound of Formula (II) with the Cp-Ru-(aryl or heteroaryl)-complex and a fluorine source under conditions sufficient to fluorinate the aryl or heteroaryl compound bearing the hydroxyl group, thereby providing a fluorinated aryl compound,

wherein, in Formula (II):

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1-6 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 aralkyl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, 5-10 membered heteroaralkyl, 4-10 membered heterocyclyl, 4-10 membered heterocyclylalkyl, 3-10 membered carbocyclyl, and 3-10 membered carbocyclylalkyl, each being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms;

R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, nitro, cyano, halo, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, optionally substituted C6-10 aryl, optionally substituted C6-10 aralkyl, optionally substituted 5-10 membered heteroaryl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclyl, optionally substituted 3-10 membered carbocyclyl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclylalkyl, acyl, each being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms; or

R 5 and R 6 may form together a C5-20 hydrocarbon ring which may be unsaturated or saturated aliphatic or aromatic including heteroatoms, optionally being substituted by C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, nitro, cyano, halo, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, optionally substituted C6-10 aryl, optionally substituted C6-10 aralkyl, optionally substituted 5-10 membered heteroaryl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclyl, optionally substituted 3-10 membered carbocyclyl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclylalkyl, acyl, each being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms;

X being an anion; and

L is a leaving group,

wherein the Cp-Ru-(aryl or heteroaryl)-complex is a Ru complex comprising an aryl or heteroaryl compound bearing a hydroxyl group as a ligand and at least one further ligand optionally being substituted by C1-6 alkyl, haloalkyl or halogen.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein in Formula (II):

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C6-10 aryl, C6-10 aralkyl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, 5-10 membered heteroaralkyl, each of which is optionally substituted at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, optionally substituted with at least one heterosubstituent;

R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, optionally substituted C6-10 aryl, optionally substituted C6-10 aralkyl, optionally substituted 5-10 membered heteroaryl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclyl, optionally substituted 3-10 membered carbocyclyl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclylalkyl, acyl, optionally substituted with at least one heterosubstituent,

L is a leaving group which is not detrimentally interacting in the method; and

X represents an anion.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the compound of Formula (II) is represented by the following formula (III):

wherein each R 7 is independently selected from halogen, optionally substituted C1-8 alkyl, in particular iso-propyl, C1-8 haloalkyl, C1-8 alkoxy, optionally substituted C6-12 aryl, and optionally substituted 6-12 membered heteroaryl, and wherein “substituted” refers to substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, haloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, heterocyclyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkenyl, heterocycloalkenyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, carboxy, carboxylate, cyano, nitro, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, sulfate, phosphate, methylenedioxy —O—CH 2 —O— wherein oxygens are attached to vicinal atoms, ethylenedioxy, oxo, thioxo (e.g., C═S), imino (alkyl, aryl, aralkyl), S(O) n -alkyl (where n is 0-2), S(O) n -aryl (where n is 0-2), S(O) n -heteroaryl (where n is 0-2), S(O) n -heterocyclyl (where n is 0-2), amine (mono-, di-, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof), ester (alkyl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, aryl, heteroaryl), amide (mono-, di-, alkyl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof), sulfonamide (mono-, di-, alkyl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, and combinations thereof), and wherein L and X are selected from halide ions or carboxylate ions.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein L and X are selected from halide ions or carboxylate ions.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the fluorine source is a fluoride salt.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorine source is a sodium, potassium, or cesium fluoride salt.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluoride source comprises 18 F.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluoride source comprises 19 F.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the Ru phenol complex is a Ru complex with an aryl compound bearing one hydroxyl as a ligand and one cyclopentadienyl ligand, optionally being substituted.

11. A complex of the general formula (IV):

wherein in said formula (IV):

represents a C5 to C30 aromatic or heteroaromatic mono- to polycyclic ring system having at least one aromatic or heteroaromatic ring and one oxygen O B bound on said aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, said ring system optionally being further substituted with at least one substituent R p selected from straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaliphatic or heteroaryl each having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, each being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms, or a heteroatom,

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1 to C30 aliphatic, aromatic, heteroaliphatic or heteroaromatic hydrocarbons, each of which is optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-20 straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl or heteroatoms, each being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms,

R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1-30 aliphatic, aromatic, heteroaliphatic or heteroaromatic hydrocarbons, each of which is optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-20 straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl or heteroatoms, each being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms, or

R 3 and R 4 with N—C═N to which they are bonded form a C4-20 ring which may be saturated or unsaturated aliphatic or aromatic, which C4-20 ring is optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-20 straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl or heteroatoms, the C4-20 ring being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms, and the C4-20 ring optionally fused to a C5-20 hydrocarbon ring which may be unsaturated or saturated aliphatic or aromatic including heteroatoms, which C5-20 hydrocarbon ring is optionally substituted by at least one substituent selected from C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, nitro, cyano, halo, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, optionally substituted C6-10 aryl, optionally substituted C6-10 aralkyl, optionally substituted 5-10 membered heteroaryl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclyl, optionally substituted 3-10 membered carbocyclyl, optionally substituted 4-10 membered heterocyclylalkyl, and acyl, each substituent for the C5-20 hydrocarbon ring being optionally further substituted by one or more heteroatoms; and

X being an anion.

12. Process for converting a complex of the general formula (IV) as defined in claim 11 into a Cp-Ru-(aromatic or heteroaromatic mono- to polycyclic ring)F complex comprising treating the complex of general formula (IV) with a fluorine source.

13. Process according to claim 12 , further comprising decomplexing the Cp-Ru-(aromatic or heteroaromatic mono- to polycyclic ring)F complex whereby a fluorinated aromatic or heteroaromatic mono- to polycyclic ring is obtained.