Selective and Effective Fluorination of Organic Compounds in Water Using Selectfluor F‐TEDA‐BF4.

Selective and effective fluorination of various types of organic compounds performed in water as the reaction medium using 1-chloromethyl-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate) (Selectfluor F-TEDA-BF4) is reported. 2-Naphthole and 2-methoxynaphthalene were thus transformed to 1,1-difluoro-2(1H)naphthalenone, estrone to 10β-fluoro-1,4-estradien-3,17-dione, phenyl-substituted alkenes to vicinal fluorohydrins, and various ketones, 1,3-diketones, or β-ketoesters to corresponding α-fluoro or α,α-difluoro ketones.