Patent ID: 8618320

Claim:
A method of halogenating an activated carbon atom in the presence of a Lewis acid comprising, reacting a material comprising an activated carbon atom with a halogen donor in the presence of a catalytic amount of the Lewis acid; wherein the Lewis acid comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Zr, Fe, and Al; wherein the activated carbon atom is a carbon atom alpha to a silicon atom and the material is represented by formula VIIa: wherein R 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, â€”OR 3 , â€”NR 3 R 4 , â€”SR 3 , C 1-8 alkyl, C 1-8 heteroalkyl, C 1-8 haloalkyl, C 2-8 alkenyl, C 2-8 alkynyl, 3- to 10-membered heterocyclyl, C 6-10 aryl, and 5- to 10-membered heteroaryl; and R 3 and R 4 an each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1-8 alkyl, C 1-8 heteroalkyl, C 2-8 alkenyl, C 2-8 alkynyl, C 6-10 aryl, 5 to 10-membered heteroaryl, and 3- to 10-membered heterocycle; and wherein the halogen donor is selected from the group consisting of N-bromosuccinimide, N-iodosuccinimide, N-chlorosuccinimide and N-fluorobenzene-sulfonimide.