174075-49-1

(E)- and (Z)-Fluorovinyl sulfones (II) form (fluorovinyl)stannanes (III) on treatment with two equivalents of tributyltin hydride and a catalytic amount of AIBN; the free radical catalyzed reaction proceeds with retention of configuration for 2,2-disubstituted fluorovinyl sulfones (IIa and IIb). Conversion of III to 1-fluoro olefins (IV) is a stereospecific reaction and provides a general method to (E) and (Z) fluoro olefins. The utility of this method is exemplified by the synthesis of the deutero fluoro olefins 27, nucleosides 32 and 34, and the amino acids 43 and 47. Proton observe, 19F irradiated (1H-{19F}) NOE difference spectroscopy was used for the first time as an unequivocal method for the assignment of olefin geometry for fluorovinyl sulfones, (fluorovinyl)stannanes and fluoro olefins.