2-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl]isoindole-1,3-dione

Conditions: temp:0.00; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: A 50 ml round-bottomed flask equipped with a magnetic stirrer and with a septum having a top-mounted argon intake is charged with 4.2 g of 2-bromo-1-(4-fluorophenyl)ethanone in 10 ml of DMF and 3.6 g of potassium phthalimide. The mixture is stirred at RT for 4 h and the precipitate formed is filtered off on a glass frit and washed with 3 times 50 ml of isopropyl ether. This, after drying under RP, gives 5 g of 2-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl]isoindole-1,3-dione (white solid), which is used as it is in the following step. Melting point (Kofler): 140° C.; MS (E/I): m/z=283 (M+); 1H NMR: 5.25 (s, 2 H) 7.44 (t, J=9.0 Hz, 2 H) 7.85-8.00 (m, 4 H) 8.19 (dd, J=9.8, 5.4 Hz, 2 H). A 50 ml round-bottomed flask equipped with a magnetic stirrer and with a septum the precipitate formed is filtered off on a glass frit washed with 3 times 50 ml of isopropyl ether This, after drying under RP