A general route for the synthesis of β,β-difluorocarboxylic acids

A new method for the preparation of β,β-difluoro- (and other gem-difluoro) acids has been developed. It is based on the fact that 3-oxocarboxylic esters are easy to make and convert to the corresponding dithiane derivatives. These dithianes reacted with BrF3, a commercial, but rarely used reagent in organic chemistry, under very mild conditions to form the corresponding difluoroesters, which in turn could be quantitatively hydrolyzed to the free gem-difluoroacids.