Decarbethoxylative Arylation Employing Arynes: A Metal-Free Pathway to Arylfluoroamides

An efficient, metal-free
decarbethoxylative arylation protocol
for the synthesis of α-aryl-α-fluoroamides from fluoromalonamates,
under ambient reaction conditions using aryne as an electrophilic
arylating agent, is reported. This decarbethoxylative arylation proceeds
under mild conditions and provides a practical and effective entry
to a wide range of α-aryl-α-fluoroacetamides. Interestingly,
the use of the tert-butyl ester of fluoromalonamate
prevented the otherwise rapid decarboxylation step, affording the
arylated fluoromalonamate in moderate yield.