Reaction of fluorinated ketones with dialkyl phosphites: An efficient and selective transformation of aryl F-alkyl ketones into dialkyl aryl (F-alkyl)methyl phosphates

Aryl F-alkyl ketones smoothly reacted with a variety of dialkyl phosphites in the presence (or absence) of a tertiary amine to give the corresponding dialkyl aryl(F-alkyl)methyl phosphates in high yields. The reaction of methyl F-phenyl ketone with the sodium salt of diethyl phosphite afforded a good yield of diethyl 1-(Fphenyl)ethyl phosphate. This reaction offers a new supplemental route to various polyfluorinated esters of phosphoric acid. A possible mechanism for the reaction is also described briefly.