Synthesis of ketones and mono-fluoro ketones via boron enolates formed by substitution of esters with benzylboronic esters.

Benzylboronic esters can be deprotonated using LiTMP and engaged in useful C-C bond-forming processes. Here we report that they undergo acylation with esters. We also report a fluorinative coupling reaction performed through nucleophilic substitution of a lithiated benzylboronic ester with an ester, and trapping of the resultant boron enolate with the fluorinating agent NFSI.