A novel direct synthesis of (2,2-difluorovinyl)benzenes from aromatic aldehydes

A novel catalytic approach to (2.2-difluorovinyl)benzenes has been developed. It was found that hydrazones of aromatic aldehydes generated in situ could be converted to the corresponding (2,2-difluorovinyl)benzenes by catalytic olefination reaction (COR) with dibromodifluoromethane in the presence of CuCl. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.