New Synthetic Routes to 2‐Fluoro‐2‐phenylalkanoic Acids

Abstract

Abstract 2‐Fluoro‐2‐phenylalkanoic acids 2 are obtained by oxidation of the corresponding β‐fluoro‐β‐phenyl alcohols 6 . These compounds are shown to be accessible by two alternative pathways, either by bromo fluorination of α‐alkyl styrenes 3 , subsequent bromine‐by‐acetate replacement in the bromo fluorides 4 and hydrolysis of the acetates 5 or by a BF 3 · OEt 2 catalyzed ring opening of corresponding styrene oxides 8 with triethylamine tris(hydrofluoride).