Nitric Acid → 1-(2,6-Difluoro-3-nitrophenyl)ethanone

To a −40° C. mixture of concentrated H2SO4 (100 mL) and fuming HNO3 (100 mL) was added 1-(2,6-difluorophenyl)ethanone (20 g, 128 mmol) dropwise. The resulting mixture was stirred at −40° C. for 2 h then poured slowly onto ice. That mixture was diluted with DCM and the phases were separated. The aqueous layer was neutralized with sat. aq. NaHCO3 and then extracted with DCM. All organic portions were combined, dried over MgSO4, filtered, and concentrated to give 1-(2,6-difluoro-3-nitrophenyl)ethanone (26.3 g, 131 mmol, >theoretical) that was used without further purification.