A versatile synthesis of triarylantimony difluorides by fluorination of triarylstibanes with nitrosyl tetrafluoroborate and their antitumor activity

Triarylantimony difluorides were synthesized in moderate to excellent yields by oxidative fluorination of triarylstibanes with nitrosyl tetrafluoroborate (NOBF4) under aerobic conditions. This reaction is the first example of fluorination of trivalent organoantimony compounds using NOBF4 as a fluorinating agent. The triarylantimony difluorides exhibited good anti-proliferation activity against tumor cell lines. In particular, the IC30 of p-Tol(3)SbF(2) (2c)was the lowest in each cell lines.