Coming to light: The title reaction simply requires an aqueous alkaline solution of Selectfluor and light. The method is inexpensive and effective for a wide range of neutral and electron‐poor 2‐aryloxy and 2‐aryl acetic acids to provide fluoromethyl ethers (see scheme) and benzyl fluorides, respectively. The mechanism most likely proceeds through an initial aryl excitation with a subsequent single‐electron transfer.

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The use of 5,5-(dimethyl)-i-Pr-PHOX as a practical equivalent of t-Bu-PHOX in asymmetric catalysis is reported. This new member of the phosphinooxazoline (PHOX) ligand family behaves similarly in terms of stereoinduction to t-Bu-PHOX with the key advantage of being readily accessible as both enantiomers starting from either (S)- or (R)-valine.

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The stereoselective synthesis of both cis- and trans-β-fluorostyrene derivatives from a common intermediate, (Z)-1-aryl-2-fluoro-1-(trimethylsilyl)ethenes, is described. The trans isomers are obtained by a stereospecific replacement of the silyl group in the presence of water and a fluoride source, whereas the preparation of the cis isomers is achieved by a bromination/desilicobromination sequence followed by reduction of the newly created C-Br bond. A stereoselective transformation of both stereoisomers of β-fluorostyrene is also presented.

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Bonds as Enabled by Hydrogen Bonding. -The reaction proceeds well with benzyl fluorides only and activated arenes. -(CHAMPAGNE, P. A.; BENHASSINE, Y.; DESROCHES, J.; PAQUIN*, J.-F.; Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 53 (2014) 50, 13835-13839, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201406088 ; Dep. Chim., Univ. Laval, Quebec City, Que. G1V 0A6, Can.; Eng.) -M. Tismer