Synthesis 2002(17): 2609-2615
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-35625
SPECIALTOPIC
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Direct α-Fluorination of Ketones Using N-F Reagents

Stojan Stavber*, Marjan Jereb, Marko Zupan
Laboratory for Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, ‘Jozef Stefan’ Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Fax: +386(1)4773811; e-Mail: stojan.stavber@ijs.si;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 22 July 2002
Publication Date:
20 November 2002 (online)

Abstract

The use of 1-fluoro-4-hydroxy-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate) (Accufluor TM NFTh) as a fluorine­ atom transfer reagent and methanol as solvent enabled direct regiospecific fluorofunctionalization of the α-carbonyl position in ketones without prior activation of the target molecules. Methoxy or hydroxy substituted derivatives of 1-indanone, 1-tetralone and oxo derivatives of thiophene, benzo[b]thiophene, benzofuran and benzopyran were regiospecifically transformed to the corresponding α-fluoro derivatives in high yield, while 2α-fluoro-5α-cholestan-3-one (28) and 16α-fluoro-3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one (30) were regio- and stereospecifically obtained starting directly from the corresponding keto steroids.