Fluorinated terpenoids and their fluorine-containing derivatives

Fluorine-containing molecules have attracted increasing attention in pharmaceutical chemistry owing to their unique physicochemical properties. As there are no known examples of naturally occurring fluorinated organic molecules, fluorination of organic molecules gains significant interest in organic synthesis. Terpenoids represent one of the largest and most structurally diverse classes of natural products, exhibiting a broad range of pharmacological effects. Fluorination of terpenoid scaffolds has therefore become an active area of research aimed at enhancing or diversifying their bioactivity profiles. This review summarizes the synthetic strategies developed for the preparation of fluorinated terpenoids across different subclasses, including mono-, sesqui-, di-, tri-, and tetranor-terpenes.