Synthesis of β-fluoroenones and their reductive rearrangement in aqueous media

In this paper, a simple and efficient preparation of β-fluoroenones, as a mixture of E/Z isomers with the E-isomer as the main product, from 1,2-allenic ketones by using TBAF·3H2O in water as a nucleophilic fluorination agent has been developed. Moreover, in exploring the synthetic applications of β-fluoroenones, an unprecedented reductive defluorination rearrangement of β-fluoroenones toward enones under mild conditions in aqueous media was also discovered.