Direct ethoxycarbonyldifluoromethylation of aromatic compounds using Fenton reagent

Direct ethoxycarbonyldifluoromethylation of aromatic compounds by BrCF2CO2Et was investigated using Fenton reagent in dimethylsulfoxide. Various five-membered hetero-aromatic compounds, benzene derivatives and uracil having ethoxycarbonyldifluoromethyl group were obtained catalytically with the combination of ferrocene and H2O2 at room temperature. The ethoxycarbonyldifluoromethylation occurred at the position predicted by the trend of the electrophilic substitution of aromatic compounds. When para-substituted aniline derivatives were used as a substrate, the one-pot synthesis of 3,3-difluoro-2,3-dihydroindole-2-one derivatives was achieved through the ethoxycarbonyldifluoromethylation at the ortho-position to the amino group and the consecutive intramolecular amidation of the amino group and the adjacent ethoxycarbonyldifluoromethyl group.