Fluorophenols and (trifluoromethyl)phenols as substrates of site-selective metalation reactions: to protect or not to protect

O-Methoxymethyl (MOM) protected fluorophenols can be cleanly metalated and subsequently be submitted to site-selective electrophilic substitution. The 2- and 4-isomers exhibit ambivalent reactivity: deprotonation occurs at the position adjacent to the O when butyllithium is employed whereas the position adjacent to the F is attacked by the superbasic mixt. of butyllithium and K tert-butoxide (LIC-KOR). The MOM-protected (trifluoromethyl)phenols react exclusively at O-neighboring positions. The meta isomer provides another example of optional site selectivity, undergoing H/metal exchange at the 2-position with the LIC-KOR reagent and at the 6-position with sec-butyllithium. Unprotected (trifluoromethyl)phenols can also be ortho-metalated after O-deprotonation, although the products are formed in only moderate yields. [on SciFinder (R)]