Fluorinations of α-seleno carboxylic acid derivatives with hypervalent (difluoroiodo)toluene

A very efficient synthesis of (difluoroiodo) toluene avoiding the use of elemental chlorine and elemental fluorine is described. We have fluorinated a series of a-acceptor substituted selenides using (difluoroiodo)toluene. The reactions are usually very clean and under the reaction conditions no further oxidized products are observed. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005).