Electrochemical partial fluorination of phenylacetic acids esters and 1-tetralone

Anodic oxidation of some benzyl derivatives (phenylacetic acids esters) 1, and 1-tetralone 4, using ammonium fluorides or ammonium tetrafluoroborate as fluorine sources and supporting electrolytes and CH2Cl2 as solvent, allowed the introduction of a fluorine atom in the α position of an electron withdrawing group via carbocation (C), (ECBECN mechanism).