3-Fluoro-α-fluoromethyl- p-tyrosine was synthesized directly by the reaction of acetyl hypofluorite with α-fluoromethyl- p-tyrosine. α-Fluoromethyl- p-tyrosine was prepared by a four-step reaction while acetyl hypofluorite was prepared from elemental fluorine. Products were characterized by mass spectrometry, multinuclear ( 1H, 13C and 19F) NMR spectroscopy and HPLC. 3-[ 18F]-Fluoro-α-fluoromethyl- p-tyrosine, a potential imaging agent for dopamine neurons, was subsequently prepared from cyclotron-produced [ 18F]acetyl hypofluorite with an average radiochemical yield of 19.3 ± 1.7%.