A p-toluenesulfonic acid catalyzed fluorination of α-branched ketones for the construction of fluorinated quaternary carbon centers has been developed, featuring a broad substrate scope, environmentally benign reaction conditions, and operational simplicity.
Decarboxylativefluorination of tertiary β-keto carboxylic acids was performed using an electrophilic fluorinating reagent. The reaction proceeded in the absence of a catalyst or base to yield the corresponding α-fluoroketones with tertiary fluorocarbons in good to high yields. Considering that the α-fluorination of asymmetrical ketones often causes problems with the regioselectivity between the