This is a summary of a lecture presented at the 100th Anniversary, Moissan Symposium in Paris on Friday 10th November 2006. In HF/SbF5, Vinca alkaloids react selectively at the D'ring of the molecule. In the presence of CHCl3 (or CCl4), vinorelbine yields 20 ',20 '-difluoro-3 ',4 '-dihydrovinorelbine (vinflunine), presently in phase III experimentation for treatment of bladder cancer and non small cell lung cancer. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.