alpha,alpha-gem-Difluorination of alpha-(alkylthio)acetophenone derivatives with N-fluoropyridinium salts.

The alpha,alpha-gem-difluorination of 2',4'-difluoro-alpha-(methylthio)acetophenone (1a) with N-fluoropyridinium salts gave 2',4',alpha,alpha-tetrafluoro-alpha-(methylthio)acetophenone (3a). This reaction was accelerated by the addition of zinc chloride, zinc bromide or anhydrous iron(III) chloride, and higher yields than the reaction without additives were obtained. The gem-difluorination reaction using FP-T300 in the presence of zinc bromide was applicable to other alpha-(alkylthio)acetophenone derivatives (1).