Difluoroacetaldehyde ethyl hemiacetal (11, prepared from ethyl difluoroacetate and lithium aluminum hydride in diethyl ether, was found to be a potential difluoroethylating reagent for the preparation of a wide variety of difluoromethylated compounds. Compound 1 shows promise for use in the synthesis of carbinols prepared by the reaction of 1 with metal reagents or enol silyl ethers, the synthesis of amino acid ketones and B-lactams via the ...
