Nuclear fluorination of 2,4-diarylthiazoles with Accufluor®

A series of 2,4-diphenylthiazole derivatives were synthesized and directly fluorinated at the 5-position by reaction with the N–F fluorinating reagent Accufluor®. Although fluorination occurred selectively at the thiazole ring, it was always incomplete and thus yields for the novel fluorinated products were low to moderate (19–43%) following purification to remove starting material. Nonetheless, the target compounds were obtained in a convenient and straightforward manner. Selectfluor® was not as effective as Accufluor® as it gave a trace amount of the 5-chlorothiazole that was difficult to remove by chromatography.