Despite the importance of monofluoroalkyl groups in pharmaceutically
relevant molecules, catalytic protocols for their incorporation into
alkenes remain limited. We describe herein a three-component acylmonofluoroalkylation
of alkenes for the introduction of such moieties through an unprecedented
cooperativity between the N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst and earth-abundant
Mn(II) complex. This general method can be applied to a variety of
alkenes, including styrenes, 1,3-enynes, and allenes, as well as complex
substrates containing natural product and drug motifs.