Difluoromethyl isocyanide

Isocyanides, which are isoelectronic with carbon monoxide, can undergo insertion reactions to provide Af-containing heterocycles. In 2013, Yu and coworkers [46] developed a photoredox catalytic, somophilic isocyanide insertion (HAS) yielding 6-alkylated phenanthridine derivatives from biphenyl isocyanide and electron-deficient bromides (Eq. (13.14)). Interestingly, when ethyl bromoflu-oroacetate or ethyl bromodifluoroacetate were used as the substrate [47], a subsequent decarboxylation efficiently produced mono- and difluoromethylated phenanthridine derivatives (Eq. (13.15)). 

---