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.