Synthesis of 2-aryl-3-hydroxymethyl-5,5-difluoropiperidines

A strategy toward the synthesis of functionalized 5,5-difluoropiperidines, a class of compounds with potential as building block in medicinal chemistry, was developed. In a three-step procedure 2,2-difluoroglutaric anhydride was synthesized starting from ethyl bromodifluoroacetate. This key intermediate reacts fluently with various imines to yield 5,5-difluoropiperidinone carboxylic acids. Subsequent esterification of the obtained carboxylic acids enabled the isolation of trans-substituted 5,5-difluoro-2-arylpiperidinone-3-carboxylates as the major isomers. Reduction of the difluorinated piperidinonecarboxylates using borane gave rise to new trans-2-aryl-1-benzyl-5,5-difluoro-3-hydroxymethylpiperidines in excellent yields.