Catalytic enantioselective addition of organoboron reagents to fluoroketones controlled by electrostatic interactions

Organofluorine compounds are important to medical, agricultural and materials research. Now, small organic molecules may be used to catalyse reactions of fluorinated ketones with organoboron reagents, yielding tertiary homoallylic alcohols in high enantiomeric purity. Electrostatic interactions between a catalyst's ammonium group and fluoro-organic substrate are key to control of stereoselectivity.