Palladium-catalyzed direct α-arylation of α-fluoroketones: A straightforward route to α-fluoro-α-arylketones

The palladium-catalyzed direct α-arylation of both open-chain and cyclic α-fluoroketones by using P(o-tolyl)3 or RuPhos as ligand and K3PO4·3H2O as mild base has been developed. This method allows a variety of quaternary α-aryl-α-fluoroketones to be easily prepared.