Meerwein arylation with 3-fluorobutenone

3-Fluorobutenone (7) reacts with aryl triazenes in the presence of zinc iodide to give 4-aryl-3-fluoro-3-iodo-2-butanones (9a–9f) in moderate yields. The products arise from a free radical process that terminated by iodination of an alkyl radical. The process yields unusual geminal iodo-fluoro compounds.