Water → (4,5-Difluoro-1,2-phenylene)dimethanol

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Reaction Steps

To a solution of LiAlH4 (1M in tetrahydrofuran) (11 ml, 11.0 mmol, 2.0 molar equivalents) cooled to −78° C. was added dropwise a solution of 4,5-difluorophtalic anhydrid (1.0 g, 5.4 mmol, 1 molar equivalent) in THF (5 ml). The reaction mixture was allowed to warm up to room temperature and then stirred at 70° C. for 2 hours. To this resulting solution cooled to 0° C. was added a 2M sodium hydroxide solution (5 ml) followed by cold water (5 ml) and THF (10 ml). The reaction mixture was then further extracted with THF (3 times 20 ml). The organic fractions were combined, washed with brine, dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated in vacuum to give a light yellow solid. Purification by recrystallisation from acetone/hexane gave the title compound as light yellow needles (0.8 g, 85%). 1H NMR (300.13 MHz, DMSO) δ(ppm) 4.47 (d, J=5.30, 4H) 5.26 (t, J=5.30 Hz, 2H) 7.36 (t, J=10.10 Hz, 2H). 19F NMR (282.38 MHz, DMSO) δ(ppm) −142.27 (s).

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