Fluorine gas for life science syntheses: green metrics to assess selective direct fluorination for the synthesis of 2-fluoromalonate esters

Abstract

Optimisation and real time reaction monitoring of the synthesis of 2-fluoromalonate esters by direct fluorination using fluorine gas is reported. An assessment of green metrics including atom economy and process mass intensity factors, demonstrates that the one-step selective direct fluorination process compares very favourably with established multistep processes for the synthesis of fluoromalonates.