Synthesis of 18F-difluoromethylarenes using aryl boronic acids, ethyl bromofluoroacetate and [18F]fluoride

Chem Sci. 2019 Jan 29;10(11):3237-3241. doi: 10.1039/c8sc05096a. eCollection 2019 Mar 21.

Abstract

Herein, we report the radiosynthesis of 18F-difluoromethylarenes via the assembly of three components, a boron reagent, ethyl bromofluoroacetate, and cyclotron-produced non-carrier added [18F]fluoride. The two key steps are a copper-catalysed cross-coupling reaction, and a Mn-mediated 18F-fluorodecarboxylation.