Convenient Synthesis of Difluoromethyl Alcohols from Both Enolizable and Non‐Enolizable Carbonyl Compounds with Difluoromethyl Phenyl Sulfone

Abstract A general and efficient nucleophilic difluoromethylation of carbonyl compounds (both enolizable and non‐enolizable aldehydes and ketones) has been achieved by using a nucleophilic (phenylsulfonyl)difluoromethylation‐reductive desulfonylation strategy. Difluoromethyl phenyl sulfone acts as a difluoromethyl anion (“CF 2 H – ”) equivalent. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)