A difluorosulfide as a Freon-free source of phosphonodifluoromethyl carbanion

The synthesis of difluoromethylphosphonates is becoming difficult due to environmental protective laws restricting the use of HCFCs and CFCs as starting chemicals. To circumvent this limitation, we report the preparation of a thioether as a new source of the lithiodifluoromethylphosphonate. This methodology avoiding the use of HCFCs involves a selective fluorination of sulfide followed by a thiaphilic addition of an organometallic reagent, which offers an alternative route to obtain phosphonodifluoromethyl carbanion. A contrasted reactivity, due to a medium effect, was also noted which allows addition of a wide range of electrophiles including nitroalkenes and DMF to thioethers.