The substituted acetophenones required for the synthesis of a-bromoketones (I) were prepared by acylation of 2-fluoroanisole with acetyl or phenylacetyl chloride. In the case of acylation of 4-fluoroanisole with acetyl chloride, we isolated, in addition to the 2-methoxy-5- fluoroacetophenone expected, 2-hydroxy-5-fluoroacetophenone (IV), which was subsequently converted to~-bromo-(2-hydroxy-5-fluoro) acetophenone (V) and then to~,- ...