The synthesis of α-fluoroacrylates and α-bromo-α-fluoroalkenes was achieved in very good yields using aldehydes and ketones, triphenylphosphine, diethylzinc as promoter, and ethyl dibromofluoroacetate or dibromofluoromethane, respectively. A change in the addition sequence was critical in order to obtain exclusively α-fluoroacrylates in good yields.
A halon-free method for the synthesis of ‑bromofluoroolefins utilizing ethyldibromofluoro-acetate is disclosed via a Wittigtypereaction. The reaction system takes advantage of inexpensive and readily available reagents. The method was applied to a wide variety of aryl aldehydes. Both electron donating and electron withdrawing moieties on the aryl ring were tolerated and the desired olefin products