Synthesis and Optical Resolution of 2-Aryl-2-fluoropropionic Acids, Fluorinated Analogues of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

We report the synthesis of optically active 2-aryl-2-fluoropropionic acids 2 as non-epimerizable mimics of 2-arylpropionic acids 1, a class of compounds which have been widely used as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This is a continuation of our research involving the design, synthesis, and evaluation of chiral fluorine-containing organic molecules as effective analogues of pharmacologically important compounds.