A useful conversion of alcohols to alkyl fluorides

Abstract A useful conversion of alcohols to alkyl fluorides via their fluoroformates is introduced. The fluoroformates are obtained in nearly quantitative yield from the alcohols by treatment with COF 2 (generated in situ from bis(trichloromethyl) carbonate) in ether with KF as an added acid scavenger. The neat fluoroformates are cleaved to the fluorides by heating at 120–125°C using hexabutylguanidinium fluoride (HBGF) as the catalyst.