Easy access to CF2-containing molecules based on the reaction of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorooxetane with various nucleophiles.

2,2,3,3-Tetrafluorooxetane reacted easily with organolithium reagents to give 1,1,3-trisubstituted 2,2-difluoropropan-1-ols in good to excellent yields. On the other hand, the reaction with Grignard reagent led to 3-bromo-1,1-disubstituted 2,2-difluoropropan-1-ols in good yields. On treating with lithium enolates, generated from enol silyl ethers and MeLi/LiBr, the corresponding 1-bromo-2,2-difluoro-3,5-dicarbonyl compounds were obtained in fair to good yields. 3-Iodo-2,2-difluoropropanoate, prepared readily from 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorooxetane and NaI, reacted successfully with various silyl enol ethers in the presence of a radical initiator to provide the corresponding coupling products in good yields.