The first application of a Sonogashira cross‐coupling reaction in 18F chemistry has been developed. The reaction was exemplified by the cross‐coupling of terminal alkynes (ethynylcyclopentyl carbinol 6, 17α‐ethynyl‐3,17β‐estradiol 7 and 17α‐ethynyl‐3‐methoxy‐3,17β‐estradiol 8) with 4‐[18F]fluoroiodobenzene. 4,4′‐Diiododiaryliodonium salts were used as precursors for the synthesis of 4‐[18F]fluoroiodobenzene, enabling the convenient access to 4‐[18F]fluoroiodobenzene in 13–70% yield using conventional heating or microwave activation. The Sonogashira cross‐coupling of 4‐[18F]fluoroiodobenzene with terminal alkynes gave the corresponding 4‐[18F]fluorophenylethynyl‐substituted compounds [18F]‐9, [18F]‐10 and [18F]‐13 in yields up to 88% within 20 min of starting from 4‐[18F]fluoroiodobenzene. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.