Use of C,N-chelated di-n-butyltin(IV) fluoride for the synthesis of acyl fluorides, fluoroformates and fluorophosgene

{2-[(CH3)(2)NCH2]C6H4}(n-Bu)(2)SnF (1) reacts with various chloroformates, acyl chlorides, methanesulfonyl chloride, 4,4'-dimethoxytrityl chloride and phosgene precursors or derivatives to form fluorinated analogues. All reactions proceed rapidly and under mild conditions. The use of a catalytic amount of 1 and KF in toluene led to a relatively high yield of a selected fluoroformate. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.