We report an operationally simple, visible-light-driven protocol for intramolecular C?H difluoroacetamidation of arenes for the synthesis of biological relevant 3, 3-difluoro-2-oxindoles at room temperature. Using fac-Ir(ppy)3 as a photosensitizer and a 3W blue LED as a light source, an array of difluoroxindoles were prepared from rapidly available tertiary aryl bromodifluoroacetamides in moderate to excellent yields.

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2016