Stereoselective synthetic strategies of stereogenic carbon centers featuring a difluoromethyl group

Difluoromethyl groups possess specific steric and electronic properties due to their slightly acidic C-H bonds and the natural characteristics of fluorine atoms, which allow them to act as chemically inert hydrogen-bond donors and then as surrogates in a wide assortment of important molecular recognition processes. As a result, the construction of chiral carbon centres bearing difluoromethyl groups is not only valuable for the synthesis of various fluorine-containing compounds, but also useful for the modulation of the properties of organic compounds in drug design. The scope of this review is to summarize routine asymmetric synthetic methods which enable the effective and selective introduction of difluoromethyl groups into the desired compounds.