PROCESS FOR SELECTIVELY ORTHO-FLUORINATING SUBSTITUTED AROMATIC COMPOUNDS

摘要

The invention describes a process for selectively preparing ortho-fluorinated substituted aromatic compounds wherein an aromatic compound containing a substituent capable of directing ortho metalation is contacted with a metalating reagent under reaction conditions sufficient to form an ortho-metalat ed substituted aromatic compound. The ortho-metalated substituted aromatic compound is reacted with an electrophilic fluorinating reagent under reaction conditions sufficient to form the desired ortho-fluorinated substituted aromatic compound which is then recovered from the reaction mixture. The process which utilizes a metalation intermediate prior to effecting the electrophilic fluorina tion step overcomes problems associated with prior art electrophilic fluorination processes which do not proceed through a regiospecifically controlled intermedia te.