A new method for making acyl fluorides using BrF3

While many carboxylic acids could be converted directly to acyl fluorides by using BrF₃, the reaction with acyl chlorides was found to be of a more general nature and yields better results. Surprisingly, reacting t-butyl esters with bromine trifluoride also resulted in acyl fluorides in reasonable yields. The reactions were completed in a few seconds at 0 °C.