An effective synthetic route to ortho-difluoromethyl arylphosphosphonates: studies on the reactivity of phosphorus- and fluorine-containing functions

Herein, we report a new and convenient methodology for the synthesis of ortho-XCF2 arylphosphonates via Diels–Alder reaction of selected 1,3-butadienes with XCF2–≡–P(O)(OEt)2, followed by the aromatization of the cyclic vinylphosphonates obtained using the KMnO4/Al2O3 system. The reactivity of ortho-XCF2 arylphosphonates was then examined to give the respective dichlorides that were converted to the corresponding phosphonic acids, phosphine oxides or a carboxylic acid (upon hydrolysis of the CF2Br group). When ortho-XCF2 arylphosphonates (X=Br) were treated with Zn/CuBr and an electrophile, the dimeric product ArCFCFAr was isolated only. The lithiation of the CF2H group (X=H) allowed however to obtain products of nucleophilic substitution with various electrophiles.

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