ChemInform Abstract: A New Synthetic Route to Polyfluorobenzyl Alcohol.

Abstract

A New Synthetic Route to Polyfluorobenzyl Alcohol. -The route for the preparation of polyfluorobenzyl alcohols from pentafluorobenzoic acid (I) is shortened by direct reduction of (I) utilizing zinc borohydride as a reductive agent. Reduction of the carboxyl group of (I) by using LiAlH4 as a reductive agent leads to substitution of a fluorine atom by a hydride at the para-position. Tetrafluorobenzyl alcohol (III) can be used as a starting material for the preparation of further benzylic alcohols, e.g. (