Microwave assisted fluorination: an improved method for side chain fluorination of substituted 1-arylethanones

A two-step, one-pot microwave (MW) assisted fluorination of 1-arylethanones to their corresponding 1-aryl-2-fluoroethanones has been developed. The first step utilises Selectfluor™ as a fluorinating agent in methanol forming 1-aryl-2-fluoroethanones and their corresponding dimethyl acetals. In the second step, water is added and Selectfluor™ acts as a Lewis acid in the hydrolytic cleavage of the dimethyl acetals. Compared to the thermal synthesis, the MW assisted method leads to a reduction in reaction time both in the fluorination and for the dimethyl acetal cleavage. Moreover, the one-pot procedure reduces reagent and solvent consumption. The method is best suited for the preparation of 1-aryl-2-fluoroethanones containing substituents that deactivates electrophilic aromatic substitution, however highly electron deficient ketones such as 1-(3,5-dinitrophenyl)ethanone reacts more slowly. Reactions using electron rich aromatic ketones had a low regioselectivity, and also produced fluoroaromatic products.