Decarboxylative fluorination of β-Ketoacids with N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) for the synthesis of α-fluoroketones: Substrate scope and mechanistic investigation

Abstract

Cesium carbonate (Cs2CO3)-mediated decarboxylative fluorination of β-ketoacids using NFSI in the MeCN/H2O mixed solvent system affords α-fluoroketones with a broad scope. Both electron-rich and electron-deficient α-non-substituted β-ketoacids are amenable to this protocol. The mechanistic study indicates that the reaction proceeds through electrophilic fluorination followed by decarboxylation, which is different from the decarboxylative fluorination of normal carboxylic acids.