Copper‐Catalyzed Hydrodefluorination of Fluoroarenes by Copper Hydride Intermediates

Breaking bad: Efficient copper-catalyzed CF bond activation has been achieved by replacing fluorine with hydrogen. A copper hydride is proposed as the active intermediate, which proceeds through a nucleophilic attack on the fluorocarbon, as determined by experimental and theoretical results (see structure; C gray, H white, Cu light red, F light blue; distances in Å).