Mono- and difluoro-beta-amino esters were synthesized via Reformatsky
reaction of fluorinated ethyl bromoacetates with N-(alpha-aminoalkyl)b
enzotriazoles. Secondary and tertiary amines are easily formed, but pr
imary amines can only be made in the difluorinated case. This approach
has led to the first synthesis of di- and tetrafluorinated bis(beta-a
mino esters). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.