Synthesis and Reactivity of 18F-Labeled α,α-Difluoro-α-(aryloxy)acetic Acids.

In this work, we describe the 18F-labeling of α,α-difluoro-α-(aryloxy)acetic acid derivatives and demonstrate that these building blocks are amenable to post-18F-fluorination functionalization. Protodecarboxylation offers a new entry to 18F-difluoromethoxyarene, and the value of this approach is further demonstrated with coupling processes leading to representative 18F-labeled TRPV1 inhibitors and TRPV1 antagonists.