PATENT ABSTRACT
Anhydrous organic fluoride salts and reagents prepared by a method comprising the nucleophilic substitution of a fluorinated aromatic or fluorinated unsaturated organic compound with a salt having the formula: 
 
[Q n M] x+ A x   − 
 
     in an inert polar, aprotic solvent; wherein M is an atom capable of supporting a formal positive charge, the n groups Q are independently varied organic moieties, n is an integer such that the [Q n M] carries at least one formal positive charge, x is an integer defining the number of formal positive charge(s), +, carried by the [Q n M], A −  is an anionic nucleophile capable of substituting for F in the fluorinated compound and F represents fluorine or a radioisotope thereof.

PATENT DESCRIPTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to novel organic fluorides and methods for their production.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Fluorine substitution is a powerful tool to improve the bioavailability of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Thus, an expansive set of nucleophilic and electrophilic reagents have been developed to replace various C—X functional groups with C—F.  
         [0003]     [ CheMBioChem Special Issue: Fluorine In the Life Sciences  2004, 5, 557726]. Simplest among the nucleophilic fluorinating reagents are “anhydrous” or “naked” organic fluoride salts, represented by tetramethylammonium fluoride (TMAF) [Christe, K. O, et al,  J. Am. Chem. Soc.  1990, 112, 7619-25, 1-methylhexamethylenetetramine fluoride (MHAF) [Gnann, R. Z., et al,  J. Am. Chem. Soc.  1997, 119, 112-115] and tetramethylphosphonium fluoride (TMPF) [Kornath, A, et al,  Inorg. Chem.  2003, 42, 2894-2901]. Highly soluble anhydrous fluoride salts possessing a wide variety of alkyl groups are desirable for synthetic purposes, but these compounds cannot be prepared according to current methodologies.  
         [0004]     Typical of prior art methods for preparing such salts are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,212 and Canadian patent no. 2035561.  
         [0005]     The preparation of absolutely anhydrous fluoride salts whose cations are substituted with alkyl groups possessing beta-hydrogen atoms has proved to be a significant challenge. Approximately 20 years ago, the first claims for “anhydrous” tetrabutylammonium fluoride appeared. The compounds were prepared by physical drying of the hydrated salt, i.e., dynamic high vacuum (&lt;0.1 mmHg) to remove water for at least 48 hours from TBAF.3H 2 O at 40˜45° C. (JOC, 1984, 49, 3216-3219). However, there was still 0.1 to 0.3 equiv of water in this “anhydrous” TBAF and copius quantities of the elimination products (tributylamine, bifluoride ion, and butane) as a result of this process. The side reactions and the presence of water and tributylamine significantly decrease the reactivity of the fluoride ion and lead to significant side reactions, such as hydrolysis of the starting substrates. An example of water&#39;s deleterious effects upon the reactivity of TBAF can be seen in simple model reactions. For example, if TBAF that is dried using physical methods is combined with benzyl chloride or benzyl bromide at room temperature to 40° C., formation of benzyl fluoride required 8 to 12 hours. In comparison, if truly anhydrous TBAF were employed, the same reaction would only take a few minutes or less at low temperatures and give quantitative yields.  
         [0006]     Later, individual syntheses of tetramethylammonium fluoride (TMAF) (JACS, 1990, 112, 7619-7625), cobaltocenium fluoride (Cp 2 CoF), (JACS, 1994, 116, 11165-11166), 1-Methylhexamethylenetetramine fluoride (MHAF) (JACS, 1997, 119, 112-115), tetramethylphosphonium fluoride (TMPF) (Inorg. Chem., 2003, 42, 2894-2901) as well as several others were synthesized and characterized as “naked” or “anhydrous” fluoride salts. However, each of these salts has specific drawbacks in terms of solubility or reactivity, and the preparative methods for synthesizing these individual salts are not applicable for the preparation of a wide variety of fluoride salts. Anhydrous fluoride salts with alkyl groups capable of beta-elimination (ethyl, propyl, butyl, isopropyl, pentyl, isobutyl, etc.) in particular are not accessible by current methods.  
         [0007]     Generally, then, these compounds are commonly prepared in a hydrated state and are subsequently dried by heating under dynamic vacuum or by azeotropic distillation. However, the conditions used to dry these salts are often incompatible with a variety of desirable cations. For example, dried tetrabutylammonium fluoride, (TBAF) [Cox, D. P., et al,  J. Org. Chem.  1984, 49, 3216-19] is reported to decompose by Hofmann elimination at room temperature. The salt isolated after dehydration is contaminated with copious amounts of bifluoride ion (HF 2 ) and tributylamine [Shannn, R. K., et al,  J. Org. Chem.  1983, 48, 2112-14]. These considerations and findings have led to the belief among those skilled in the art that “it is very unlikely that pure, anhydrous tetraalkylammonium fluoride salts have ever, in fact, been produced in the case of ammonium ions susceptible to E2 eliminations” [Sharma et al, supra].  
         [0008]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method of producing truly anhydrous organic fluoride salts and reagents.  
         [0009]     It is a further object of the invention to provide novel anhydrous organic fluoride salts and reagents.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The above and other objects are realized by the present invention one embodiment of which relates to a method of synthesizing an anhydrous fluoride salt having the formula: 
 
[Q n M] x+ F x   − 
 
 comprising the nucleophilic substitution of a fluorinated aromatic or fluorinated unsaturated organic compound with a salt having the formula: 
 
[Q n M] x+ A x   − 
 
 in an inert polar, aprotic solvent; wherein M is an atom capable of supporting a formal positive charge, the n groups Q are independently varied organic moieties, n is an integer such that the [Q n M] carries at least one formal positive charge, x is an integer defining the number of formal positive charge(s), +, carried by the [Q n M], A −  is an anionic nucleophile capable of substituting for F in the fluorinated compound and F represents fluorine or a radioisotope thereof. 
 
         [0011]     Another embodiment of the invention concerns anhydrous organic fluoride salts and reagents of the above formula, preferably produced by the above-described invention.  
         [0012]     Still other embodiments of the invention relate to the use of the anhydrous organic fluoride salts and reagents of the invention in methods, processes and syntheses wherein the non-anhydrous salts and reagents are employed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIGS. 1-10  depict  19 F NMR and  1 H NMR spectra for various reaction products produced by the reactions described herein (vide infra). 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention is predicated on the discovery that a wide variety of truly anhydrous organic fluoride salts and reagents may be synthesized in one step by the nucleophilic substitution of various fluorinated organic compounds with organic salts of diffusely charged anionic nucleophiles capable of forming strong bonds to carbon in a nucleophilic substitution reaction. Thus, employing the methods of the invention a wide range of novel anhydrous salts can be prepared using one simple procedure. Moreover, as the examples set forth below demonstrate, the method of the invention allows many sensitive or unstable fluoride salts to be prepared easily. Such compounds would decompose rapidly under the conditions employed in typical literature preparations of similar compounds.  
         [0015]     Although the invention is principally exemplified and illustrated herein for preparing tetrabutylammonium fluoride, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the inventive method may be utilized to prepare many and varied anhydrous fluoride salts. It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that the method of the invention may also be utilized to prepare radioisotopic fluoride salts (e.g.,  18 F).  
         [0016]     The reaction may be carried out at low temperatures [−35° C. to RT] in polar aprotic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl sulfoxide, diethyl ether, dioxane, dimethoxyethane, methyl tert-butyl ether, acetonitrile, acetone, methylethylketone, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrolidinone, butyronitrile, or in aromatic solvents such as toluene, pyridine, benzonitrile, or diphenyl ether. Other suitable solvents include carbonates such as diethyl carbonate and hexamethylphosphoric triamide. In preferred embodiments tetrahydrofuran, dimethylsulfoxide, and acetonitrile are the solvents employed. Halogenated solvents such as methylene chloride or dichloroethane are decomposed rapidly by anhydrous fluoride salts, and are thus generally not useful for this synthetic procedure.  
         [0017]     In the above-described formulae, Q is an organic moiety capable of undergoing E2 elimination and may be, e.g., alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or form the backbone or sidechain of a polymer. M may be N, P or any element capable of supporting a formal positive charge. The anion A may any diffusely charged anionic nucleophile capable of forming strong bonds to carbon in a nucleophilic substitution reaction, such as, e.g., cyanide, isothiocyanate, thiocyanate, alkyl- and arylthiolates, or azide. In preferred embodiments cyanide is the nucleophile employed.  
         [0018]     [Q n M] x+ A x   −  is preferably a tetraalkylammonium cyanide, a trialkylarylammonium cyanide, a dialkyldiarylammonium cyanide, an alkyltriarylammonium cyanide, or a tetraarylammonium cyanide; Q being an organic moiety capable of undergoing E2 elimination.  
         [0019]     The fluorinated compound nucleophically substituted in the method of the invention is preferably a fluorinated benzene, alkene or alkyne with a large number of fluorine atoms per unit weight e.g., hexafluorobenzene, octafluoronaphthalene, octafluorotoluene, pentafluorobenzonitrile, pentafluoropyridine, decafluorobiphenyl, etc. For the generation of isotopically labeled anhydrous fluoride salts (i.e., TBA  18 F) a singly fluorinated arene is sufficient, e.g., 4-fluorobenzonitrile.  
         [0020]     The reaction scheme for the method of the invention is:  
                         
 
         [0021]     Nucleophile substitution reactions are generally well known in the art as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,794,401; 6,451,921; 6,156,812 and 5,854,084, inter alia.  
         [0022]     Thus tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) is easily prepared in one step at low temperatures by the nucleophilic substitution of the hexafluorobenzene with tetrabutylammonium cyanide. Adventitious water is readily scavenged by the hexacyanobenzene by-product of the reaction.  
         [0023]     The constraints on a fluoride-generating synthesis grounded in nucleophile substitution reactions are quite severe and dictate a careful choice of the nucleophile. Because the enthalpic driving force for fluoride liberating reaction derives almost exclusively from ion-pairing and ΔBDE terms, and because the C sp2 -F bond in aromatics (as well as unsaturated compounds) is exceptionally strong (126 kcal/mol), only diffusely charged anionic nucleophiles capable of forming strong bonds to carbon are capable of acting in nucleophile substitution reactions reactions at low temperature in polar aprotic solvents. Cyanide ion, a potent, weakly basic nucleophile that forms strong bonds to sp2-hybridized carbon (BDE=133 kcal/mol) is an excellent candidate. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that any similar diffusely charged anionic nucleophile may also be employed in the method of the invention, such as, e.g., isothiocyanate, isocyanate, cyanate, thiocyanate, alkyl- and arylthiolates, or azide.  
         [0024]     As illustrated in the examples below, treatment of hexafluorobenzene with tetrabutylammonium cyanide (TBACN) (in 1:1 to 1:6 molar ratios) in the polar aprotic solvents THF, acetonitrile, or DMSO at or below room temperature gives excellent yields of anhydrous TBAF.  19 F NMR spectroscopy indicates that the overall yield of TBAF in solution in all cases is &gt;95%. Cyano substitution dramatically increases the fluorinated benzene ring&#39;s susceptibility to further nucleophilic attack, as is evidenced by the observation of pentacyanofluorobenzene and hexafluorobenzene as the principal fluorinated aromatic species in the reaction solution, even if 1:1 TBACN:C 6 F 6  stoichiometry is employed.  
         [0025]     In THF, colorless to light yellow anhydrous TBAF precipitated from cooled (−35° C.) solutions and yields of the isolated salt ranged from 40% to 70%. Freshly isolated TBAF displayed one singlet  19 F NMR signal at −86 ppm in THF and four  1 H NMR signals for the TBA cation. The characteristic doublet of HF 2 — at δ=−147 ppm (J H-F =128 Hz) was observed in freshly prepared solution samples, and in samples precipitated from THF and redissolved. The concentration of TBA HF 2 — was generally less than 2% that of TBAF. Solid anhydrous TBAF is stable under nitrogen at −35° C. for weeks. TBAF decomposes slowly in THF or in the solid state by E2 elimination if warmed above 0° C.  
         [0026]     TBAF can be prepared conveniently in situ in polar aprotic solvents at room temperature and used without isolation or purification. Treatment of (CD) 3 SO or CD 3 CN solutions of TBACN with C 6 F 6  (at 25° C.) gave highly colored, concentrated (up to 2 M) solutions of TBAF exhibiting the characteristic  19 F NMR signals for ion-paired fluoride (Table 1). Small amounts (generally &lt;4%) of HF 2 — are also generated in these solvents. TBAF is stable for hours in CD 3 CN and for more than 24 h in DMSO at 25° C.  
                                 TABLE 1                             19 F NMR data of anhydrous fluoride salts                Compd   Solvent   Chemical Shift                       TBAF   THF   −86 ppm               CD 3 CN   −72 ppm               (CD 3 ) 2 SO   −75 ppm           TMAF   (CD 3 ) 2 SO    −75 ppm a                 CD 3 CN   −74 ppm           TMPF   CD 3 CN   −70 ppm                           a generated in situ with TMACN.             
 
         [0027]     The origins of the unexpected stability of TBAF in THF, CH 3 CN, and DMSO lie in the relatively low temperatures used for generation of the salt, and in the dehydrating properties of the main reaction byproduct, hexacyanobenzene. Hexacyanobenzene has been shown to add water to form the strong acid pentacyanophenol (pKa=2.9). Thus, adventitious water is removed from solution during the course of the initial fluoride-generating nucleophilic reaction, forming two equivalents of bifluoride ion per equivalent of water and the innocuous byproduct TBA pentacyanophenoxide. Added water (0.08 eq.) is scavenged from TBAF solutions prepared in this manner, as is evidenced by time-dependent changes in the linewidth and chemical shift of the fluoride ion  19 F NMR resonance, and by the generation of 0.16 eq. of HF 2 —.  
         [0028]     It has been shown that the addition of alkoxide nucleophiles to hexacyanobenzene is rapid under basic conditions, and that the resultant pentacyanophenyl alkyl ethers are subject to S N 2 displacement. This pathway is amply demonstrated by the direct fluorination of simple alcohols. For example, if excess TBAF (12 eq.) is generated in situ in (CD 3 ) 2 S0 and used directly, benzyl alcohol is converted quantitatively to benzyl fluoride, presumably via the intermediacy of benzyl pentacyanophenyl ether. Thus, generation of TBAF in the presence of hexacyanobenzene can provide DAST-like deoxofluorination of alcohols.  
         [0029]     Given that fluoride, the smallest anion (ionic radius=1.33 Å) forms extremely strong bonds to protons (H—F BDE=136 kcal/mol, HF 2 — BDE=46 kcal/mol) F −  is expected to be an aggressive Brønsted base. It has been shown that TMAF deprotonates CD 3 CN over the course of several hours consuming F −  to form DF 2   −2 . A similar process is observed with TBAF in CD  3 CN; nevertheless, no decomposition of the TBA cation is observed over the course of 24 hours. In contrast, no deuterium exchange is observed in solutions of TBAF in (CD 3 ) 2 SO over the same time period. These results do not, however, allow a good estimate of the ion-pair basicity of fluoride ion in polar aprotic solvents, since slow rates of proton transfer and side reactions may preclude generation of a true equilibrium mixture. An additional complication is that any proton transfer to fluoride ion is followed by a rapid conversion to HF 2 — under these conditions.  
         [0030]     The kinetic barriers inherent in the proton transfer from C—H bonds to F −  are apparent in the following example. While (CD 3 ) 2 SO does not undergo proton exchange with residual HF 2  in TBAF solutions, if a (CD 3 ) 2 SO solution of purified TBAF (precipitated from THF) is spiked with water (0.08 eq.), a slow (2 h) conversion of HF 2   −  to DF 2   −  is observed. Deuterium exchange occurs without a detectable increase in the bifluoride ion concentration, indicating that deprotonation of water by TBAF is strongly disfavored under these conditions (see  FIG. 1 ). Upon standing, hydrated DMSO solutions of purified TBAF evolve butene and tributylamine by E2 elimination, demonstrating the sensitivity of TBAF to hydroxylic impurities in polar aprotic solvents.  
                         
 
         [0031]     The anhydrous organic fluoride salts of the invention find utility in a wide variety of methods, processes, reactions and syntheses employing the corresponding non-anhydrous fluoride salts. The substitution of the anhydrous fluoride salts of the invention in these methods gives rise to more efficient reactions leading to higher yields of the desired product and the production of undesired reaction conditions and by-products. Exemplary of such reactions are a) nucleophilic substitution reactions of alkyl halides, tosylates, and triflates; b) nucleophilic substitution reactions of nitroaromatics, chloroaromatics, and aromatic triflates, and c) for the deprotection of silylated species. Again, however, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the anhydrous salts of the invention may be utilized to good effect in any reaction or method where the use of the corresponding non-anhydrous salt is applicable. It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that the anhydrous salts of the invention may be employed in the form of the reaction mixture produced by the method of the invention or may be separated therefrom before use according to any conventional method for separating organic salts from their reaction products, such as, e.g., use of ion exchange resins, chiral chemistry and the like.  
         [0032]     Reactions employing TBAF generated in situ in accordance with the method of the invention are summarized in Table 2. For nucleophilic fluorination, anhydrous TBAF is comparable to, or exceeds the reactivity of other nucleophilic fluorinating agents. In head-to-head comparisons, TBAF exhibits dramatically enhanced rates of fluorination compared to dynamic vacuum dried “anhydrous” TBAF, CoCp 2 F, or TBAT. Neither heating nor a gross excess of TBAF is generally required to effect substitution (Table 2).  
                                                                                           TABLE 2                           Fluorination of various substrates using anhydrous TBAF                                    Yield*               Run   Substrate   Reagent   Solvent   Conditions   Product   (%)   Comments   Ref.                    1   PhCH 2 Br   1.3˜1.5 eq.   CD 3 CN   −35° C., &lt;5   PhCH 3 F   100       This               TBAF       min               work       2   PhCH 2 Br   2 eq. TBAF   THF   RT, 8 h   PhCH 3 F   &gt;90   PhCH 2 ClH               “anhydrous”                   (5%)       3   CH 3 I   1.5 eq. TBAF   CD 3 CN   −40° C., &lt;5   CH 3 F   100       This                       min               work       4   CH 3 I   CoCp 2 F   THF   RT, 6 h   CH 3 F   100           5   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 2 Br   TBAF   THF   RT, &lt;5 min   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 3 F   40-50   (remainder   This                                   alkene)   work       6   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 2 Br   6 eq. TBAT   CD 3 CN   Reflux, 24 h   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 3 F   85           7   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 2 Br   2 eq. TBAF   THF   RT, 1 h   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 3 F   48   40% octanol               “anhydrous”               8                                 TBAF   THF   RT, &lt;5 min   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 13 F   100       This work               9                                 4 eq. TBAF   THF, or CD 3 CN   RT, &lt;5 min                                 &gt;90       This work               10                                 1.3 eq. TBAF   CD 3 CN   RT, &lt;2 min                                 &gt;95       This work               11   PhCOCl   1 eq. TBAF   THF   RT, &lt;2 min   PhCOF   100       This                                       work       12   Tosyl-Cl   1 eq. TBAF   THF   RT, &lt;2 min   Tosyl-F   100       This                                       work                 *yields were calculated by integration of starting material and product signals in the  1 H and/or  13 F NMR spectra.             
 
         [0033]     Taken together, the results presented here show that exceptionally nucleophilic, highly soluble fluoride ion sources featuring ammonium cations can be prepared readily even if the cations are thought susceptible to E2 elimination. The self dehydrating nature of the nucleophilic aromatic substitution method makes it an exceptionally forgiving synthetic route to anhydrous fluoride salts.  
         [0034]     Generally, the method of the invention produces anhydrous organic fluoride salts and reagents containing less than 0.01% H 2 O in one efficient step, in high yields and low temperatures without deleterious effects on the product or reaction mechanism. Moreover, the reactivity of the anhydrous fluoride salts of the invention in solution or liquid approaches that of conventional fluoride salts in the gas phase, e.g., a reaction between nitrobenzene and conventionally produced organic fluoride salt in solution will not proceed but will in gas phase. The anhydrous fluoride salts of the invention will react with nitrobenzene in solution.  
       EXAMPLES  
       [0035]     All reagents were handled under N 2 . Hexafluorobenzene (C 6 F 6 ) (99%, SynQuest) was passed through a column of activated (130° C. for 5 h) silica gel and distilled from CaH 2 . Acetonitrile (HPLC grade, Aldrich) was distilled from P 2 O 5  and redistilled under reduced pressure from CaH 2 . THF (anhydrous, Aldrich) was distilled from LiAlH 4 . Purified solvents were stored under N 2  in Schlenk-style flasks under N 2 . Tetra-n-butylammonium cyanide (TBACN) (97%) was obtained from Fluka Chemical Co. TBACN was dried under vacuum at 40° C. overnight prior to use. For initial work, TBACN was recrystallized from THF/Hexane by layering, subsequent studies showed that this purification step was unnecessary. Tetramethylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TMAPF 6 ) was obtained from Fluka and dried under vacuum. All other reagents were of analytical grade, from Aldrich. All chemical handling was performed under N 2  in a glove box.  
         [0036]      1 H,  13 C and  19 F NMR spectra were determined in the Instrumentation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 400 MHz (QNP probe for  1 H,  13 C and  19 F NMR spectra), 500 MHz (QNP probe for  1 H,  13 C and  19 F NMR spectra) and 600 MHz (HF probe for  1 H and  19 F NMR spectra) NMR spectrometers were used in this study.  19 F NMR chemical shifts were referenced to an internal standard, hexafluorobenzene  
         [0037]     Syntheses of TBAF  
         [0038]     Anhydrous tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF): 0.67 g TBACN was dissolved in 2.5 ml THF and the resulting solution was cooled to −65° C. A chilled solution (−65° C.) of 0.3 ml hexafluorobenzene (C 6 F 6 ) in 0.5 ml THF was added, and the mixture was allowed to warm gradually (over 4 hours) to −15° C. During this time the solution changed from colorless to yellow-green, and a white solid precipitated. The mixture was again cooled to −65° C., the solid was filtered and washed two times with cold THF. All isolation procedures were kept below −36° C. The white or light yellow TBAF solid was collected and put into a −36° C. freezer for short term storage. Total TBAF yield was over 95% (based upon TBACN, confirmed by quenching experiments with benzyl chloride) if the mixture was used directly. Isolated yields of the solid material varied from 40% to 70% depending on the rapidity of the wash and filtration steps.  1 H NMR ((CD 3 ) 2 SO) 3.23 (8H, m), 1.56 (8H, m), 1.28 (8H, sext, J=7.31 Hz), 0.86 (12H, t, J=7.31 Hz);  19 F NMR ((CD 3 ) 2 SO) −72.6 ppm (s);  13 C NMR ((CD 3 ) 2 SO): 57.5, 23.1, 19.2, 13.5 ppm.  
         [0039]     Generation of TBAF in CH 3 CN: TBACN (0.134 g, 0.5 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile (0.5 ml). At 25° C., 9.6 μl (0.083 mmol) C 6 F 6  was added, and the initially colorless solution changed to dark-red immediately. The reaction was monitored by  19 F NMR spectroscopy. Fluoride generation was complete within 1 h. A representative  19 F NMR spectrum is shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0040]     Generation of TBAF in DMSO: A very similar procedure was used to generate TBAF in DMSO. TBACN (0.134 g, 0.5 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile (0.5 ml). At 25° C., 9.6 μl (0.083 mmol) C 6 F 6  was added, and the mixture was allowed to stand for one h. The solubility of TBAF in both CH 3 CN and DMSO was excellent (up to 2 M). The solution was directly used in the fluorination reaction.  
         [0041]     TMACN—TMACN was prepared by metathetical ion-exchange of TBACN with TMAPF 6  in acetonitrile/THF. 110 mg (0.5 mmol) TMAPF 6  was dissolved in a minimum amount of acetonitrile, and a saturated acetonitrile solution of TBACN (134 mg, 0.5 mmol) was added. The precipitated TMACN was filtered, washed with a small amount of acetonitrile, and the residual solvents were evaporated.  1 H NMR (CD 3 CN) 3.11 ppm (s),  13 C NMR (CD 3 CN) 54.27, 167.20.  
         [0042]     TMAF—TMAF was synthesized from TMACN and C 6 F 6  in acetonitrile by a method similar to that described for TBAF. 4.6 mg TMACN dissolve in 0.6 ml of (CD 3 ) 2 SO at room temperature. 1.0 μl hexafluorobenzene (C 6 F 6 ) was and the mixture was allowed to stand at room temperature for 12 h.  
         [0000]     General Procedure for Fluorination Reactions  
         [0043]     The general procedure given below was used for all fluorination reactions employing in situ generated TBAF. Yields were calculated by integration of the relevant peaks in the  1 H and  19 F NMR spectra.  
         [0044]     In an NMR tube equipped with a PTFE resealable closure, TBACN (0.134 g, 0.5 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous CD 3 CN (or (CD 3 ) 2 SO) (0.5 ml). At 25° C., 9.6 μl (0.083 mmol) C 6 F 6  was added, and the mixture was held at room temperature for 1 h. The mixture was cooled to −40° C. and the substrate (0.25-0.5 mmol) was added. The solution was mixed vigorously and the tube was transferred to a precooled (−35° C.) NMR probe and spectra were gathered. The time elapsed from the sample mixing until completion of the first NMR spectrum was approximately 3 min. The reaction was monitored by  19 F NMR spectra every 2 minutes until no further change was observed.  
         [0045]     Table 3 shows results of fluorination of various substrates under different conditions. For comparison, the literature results by other fluorination regents are listed in table 3.  
                                                                                     TABLE 3                                       Temp and       Yield               Run   Substrate   Reagent   Solvent   Time   Product   (%)   Comments   Ref.                                1   PhCH 2 Br   1.3˜1.5 eq.   acetonitrile   −35° C., &lt;5   PhCH 2 F   100   No   This               TBAF       min           PhCH 2 OH   work       2   PhCH 2 Br       DMSO   RT, &lt;2   PhCH 2 F   100       This                       min               work       3   PhCH 2 Br       THF   RT, &lt;2   PhCH 2 F   100       This                       min               work       4   PhCH 2 Br   2 eq. TBAF   THF   RT, 8   PhCH 2 F   &gt;90   PhCH 2 OH   1               “anhydrous”       hours   (5%)       5   PhCH 2 Cl   1.5 eq.   THF   RT, &lt;2   PhCH 2 F   100       This               TBAF       min               work       6   PhCH 2 Cl   2 eq. TBAF   THF   40° C., 12   PhCH 2 F           1               “anhydrous”       hours       7   PhCH 2 Cl   CoCp 2 F   THF   RT, 90   PhCH 2 F   95       2                       min       8   CH 3 I   1.5 eq. TBAF   acetonitrile   −40° C., &lt;5   CH 3 F   100       This                       min               work       9   CH 3 I   CoCp 2 F   THF   RT, 6   CH 3 F   100       2                       hours       10   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 Br   TBAF   THF   RT, &lt;5   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 F   40˜50   No octanol   This                       min               work       11   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 Br   6 eq. TBAT   acetonitrile   Reflux, 24 h   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 F   85       3       12   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 Br   2 eq. TBAF   THF   RT, 1 hour   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 F   48   40% octanol   1               “anhydrous”       13   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 17 (p-Cl-   TBAF   THF   RT, &lt;5   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 F   100       This           benzenesulfonate)           min               work       14   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 OTs   2 eq. TBAF   none   RT, 1 hour   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 F   98   2% alkene   1               “anhydrous”       15   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 OTs   4 eq. TBAT   acetonitrile   Reflux, 24 h   CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 F   99   Trace alkene   3               16                                 2 eq. TBAF   THF, or acetonitrile   RT, &lt;5 min                                 100       This work               17                                 1.3 eq TBAF   DMSO, or acetonitrile   RT, &lt;8 hours                                 &gt;90       This work               18                                 1.3 eq TBAF   acetonitrile   RT, &lt;2 min                                 ˜95       This work               19   PhCOCl   1 eq. TBAF   THF   RT or   PhCOF   100       This                       below RT,               work                       &lt;2 min       20   PhCOCl   2 eq. TBAF       RT, 1 hour   PhCOF   81*       1               “anhydrous”       21   Tosyl-Cl   1 eq. TBAF   THF   RT, &lt;2   Tosyl-F   100       This                       min               work               22                                 2.5 eq. TBAF, 3 h; followed by add H 2 O   DMSO or acetonitrile   RT, ˜3 hours                                         This work               23                                 TBABF—KHF 2     none   120° C., 2 hours                                 86   Contains 10% PhCHFCH 2 OH     4                  
 
 NMR Spectra: 
 
         [0046]     Generation of TBAF— FIG. 1 :  19 F NMR spectra recorded over the course of 40 minutes following the mixing of 134 mg TBACN and 9.6 μl C 6 F 6  in CD 3 CN. The peak at =−72 ppm is due to fluoride ion; the peak at □=−164 ppm peak is the C 6 F 6 ; the small peak at =−147 ppm (d, J HF =148 Hz) is due to HF 2   −  (The signal marked with * at −151 ppm is an artifact).  
         [0047]     Debromofluorination of an aromatic compound— FIG. 2 : Conversion of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)bromobenzene to 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)fluorobenzene by TBAF in (CD 3 ) 2 SO. a:  19 F NMR spectrum before the addition of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)bromobenzene; b-e:  19 F NMR spectrum after the addition of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)bromobenzene. The total elapsed time was 8 h. Chemical shift assignments: =−74 ppm (F − ), =−64 ppm (CF 3 ), =−108 ppm (Ar—F).  
         [0048]     Removal of protic solvent by hexacyanobenzene— FIG. 3 :  19 F NMR spectra showing the effect of adding 0.08 eq. benzyl alcohol to a solution of in-situ generated TBAF (CD 3 ) 2 SO. a: Spectrum recorded before the addition of benzyl alcohol; b: 5 min after addition of benzyl alcohol; c: 1 h after addition; d: 4 h after addition; e: 20 h after addition. For spectra b and c the bottom spectrum is presented with the normal Y-scale, the top spectrum has the Y-scale multiplied by 8.  
         [0049]     Impact of protic solvent in the absence of hexacyanobenzene— FIG. 4 :  19 F NMR spectra showing the effect of adding 0.08 eq. benzyl alcohol to a solution of purified TBAF (CD 3 ) 2 SO. a: Spectrum recorded before the addition of benzyl alcohol; b: 10 min after addition of benzyl alcohol; c: 1 h after addition; d: 7 h after addition; e: 20 h after addition. For spectra b and c the bottom spectrum is presented with the normal Y-scale, the top spectrum has the Y-scale multiplied by 64.  
         [0050]     Reaction of in-situ generated TBAF with water— FIG. 5 :  19 F NMR spectra of the reaction of in situ generated TBAF with 0.083 eq. water in (CD 3 ) 2 SO. a, before addition of water; b˜h, after addition of water.  
         [0051]     Detail of  FIG. 5 — FIG. 6 :  19 F NMR spectra (expanded area from FIG. S- 5 ) of the reaction of in-situ generated TBAF with 0.083 eq water in DMSO-d6. a, before addition of water; b˜h, after addition of water.  
         [0052]     Reaction of in-situ generated TBAF with water— FIG. 7 :  1 H NMR spectra of the reaction of in-situ generated TBAF with 0.083 eq water in (CD 3 ) 2 SO. a, before addition of water; b˜f, after addition of water. The signal at 5.6 ppm is assigned to H 2 O.  
         [0053]     Reaction of isolated TBAF with water— FIG. 8 :  19 F NMR spectra of the reaction of isolated TBAF with 0.083 eq water in (CD 3 ) 2 SO. a, before addition of water; b˜g, after addition of water.  
         [0054]     Detail of  FIG. 8 — FIG. 9 :  19 F NMR spectra of the reaction of isolated TBAF with 0.083 eq water in (CD 3 ) 2 SO. (Detail from FIG. S- 8 .)  
         [0055]     Reaction of isolated TBAF with water— FIG. 10 :  19 F NMR spectra of the reaction of isolated TBAF with 0.083 eq water in (CD 3 ) 2 SO. a, before addition of water; b˜e, after addition of water. The signal at 5.6 ppm is assigned to H 2 O; the signal at 5.8 ppm is assigned to HOD.