Further studies on the synthesis of α-fluoro carbonyl compounds [1]

The trimethylsilyl enol ethers of cycloalkanones and acid esters are converted in high yields (70–90%) to the corresponding α-fluoro carbonyl derivative using XeF₂ in CH₂Cl₂. Non-cyclic α-hydroxy ketones such as ethyl mandelate are efficiently transformed to the α-fluoro product by DAST and by Ishikawa's reagent. Nucleophilic displacement of halogen by fluoride failed in cyclic systems, giving instead, α,β-unsaturated ketones in DMF or CH₃CN (18-crown-6) and 1,2-diones in DMSO, with KF acting as a base. Attempts at DMSO oxidation of I(Br)F adducts failed to give the α-fluoro ketones, but resulted in dehydrohalogenation to the $\text{trans}$-vinyl fluorides.