2-Fluorobenzoyl Chloride

2-Fluorobenzoyl chloride is a colorless transparent liquid — an important fluorinated aromatic acyl chloride intermediate widely used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and fine chemicals. Melting point 4 °C, boiling point 95 °C (20 mmHg); hydrolyzes violently on contact with water and must be stored sealed.

Its feature is the dual role of the ortho fluorine: the strong electron-withdrawing effect enhances the electrophilicity of the acyl chloride for efficient acylation, while the moderate steric bulk of the ortho fluorine buffers the reaction rate and reduces side reactions. Combining reactivity with controllability, it is the reagent of choice for fluoro-acylation of substrates bearing sensitive groups; the fluorine label also confers good metabolic stability to the products.