Synthesis of Small 3-Fluoro- and 3,3-Difluoropyrrolidines Using Azomethine Ylide Chemistry.

Here, we report accessing small 3-fluoropyrrolidines and 3,3-difluoropyrrolidines through a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with a simple azomethine ylide and a variety of vinyl fluorides and vinyl difluorides. We demonstrate that vinyl fluorides within α,ß-unsaturated, styrenyl and even enol ether systems can participate in the cycloaddition reaction. The vinyl fluorides are relatively easy to synthesize through a variety of methods, making the 3-fluoropyrrolidines very accessible.