Electrochemical Synthesis of Fluorinated Ketones from Enol Acetates and Sodium Perfluoroalkyl Sulfinates.

The electrochemical synthesis of fluorinated ketones from enol acetates and RfSO2Na in an undivided cell under constant current conditions was developed. The electrosynthesis proceeded via perfluoroalkyl radical generation from sodium perfluoroalkyl sulfinate followed by addition to the enol acetate and transformation of the resulting C radical to a fluorinated ketone. The method is applicable to a wide range of enol acetates and results in the desired products in yields of 20 to 85%.