Fluorination of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds using elemental fluorine

Elemental fluorine was successfully added across the double bond of various α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. A necessary ingredient is a presence of alcohol in the solvent mixture. Unlike all other halogen's addition to olefins, fluorine adds itself in a syn mode specificity. The vic difluoro products were easily dehydrofluorinated to form the corresponding α-fluoro carbonyl derivatives.