Ruthenium‐Catalyzed meta‐CAr–H Bond Difluoroalkylation of 2‐Phenoxypyridines

A ruthenium-catalyzed meta-selective C-Ar-H bond difluoroalkylation of 2-phenoxypyridine using 2-bromo-2,2-difluoroacetate has been developed. Mechanistic studies indicated that this difluoroalkylation might involve a radical process. Furthermore, a new method is reported for the synthesis of 2-(meta-difluoroalkylphenoxy)pyridine derivatives, which are present in many pharmaceuticals and other functional compounds.