This thesis concerns the use of various potent oxidants in organic synthesis. The main focus is directed at selectively introducing trifluoromethyl groups into compounds containing double or triple bonds. All reactions proceed under mild conditions and can in most cases be performed on the bench-top.

We have developed three different procedures for transformations of activated alkenes and alkynes as well as quinones. In paper I the selective introduction of a trifluoromethyl group together with an oxygen functionality to double and triple bonds is demonstrated.

Paper II is focused on the related chemoselective cyanotrifluoromethylation in which a cyano group is added instead of the oxygen functionality.

Paper III describes a new procedure for C–H trifluoromethylation of quinones. Our studies on the mechanistic aspects of the above reactions are described in Paper IV. In these studies we investigated the ligand and substituent effects in Cu-catalyzed reactions.

Paper V is focused on a conceptually new palladium-catalyzed allylic C–H acyloxylation of olefins under oxidative conditions. The procedure uses an inexpensive, safe and environmentally benign oxidant, sodium perborate, which is activated with acetic anhydride.

This thesis concerns method development of new synthetic routes by applying electrophilic hypervalent iodine reagents, such as trifluoromethyl-benziodoxole (Togni reagent) and fluoro-benziodoxole. The first project involved the addition of an oxygen moiety and trifluoromethyl group across double and triple bonds (both groups derived from the hypervalent iodine reagent). We observed that electron donating substituents on the aromatic ring of the substrate accelerated the oxytrifluoromethylation reaction. This transformation was further expanded to halo-trifluoromethylation reaction of a vinyl silane substrate. We also developed a copper mediated cyanotrifluoromethylation reaction, which was accelerated by PCy₃ additive. This transformation allowed for the creation of two new C-C bonds in a single addition reaction. The direct C-H trifluoromethylation reaction of quinones was achived using the Togni-reagent in the presence of B₂pin₂ additive. The intriguing additive effects of both B₂pin₂ and PCy₃ inspired us to examine the mechanism of these transformations.

Fluoro-benziodoxole is the fluoroiodane analogue of the trifluoromethylating Togni reagent. We developed a AgBF₄ mediated geminal difluorination of styrenes using this fluoroiodine reagent. In this process one fluorine atom came from the fluoroiodane, while the other fluorine was derived from the tetrafluoroborate ion. A similar approach was applied for the 1,3-oxyfluorination and difluorination of cyclopropanes. Similarly, this fluorinative ring opening of unactivated cyclopropanes involved the introduction of an electrophilic fluorine atom from the fluoroiodane reagent and a nucleophilic one from the tetrafluoroborate ion. This reaction was extended to synthesis of 1,3-oxyfluorinated products. When alkenes reacted with the fluoro-benziodoxole reagent in the presence of palladium catalyst the iodofluorination reaction occurred.  Both the iodine and fluorine atoms were derived from the fluoroiodane reagent. The iodofluorination reaction with disubstituted and cyclic alkenes proceeded with high regio- and stereoselectivity.