The Difluorinative Acetonylation of Imidazopyridine Using Acetophenone and Selectfluor

We have developed an approach for the geminal difluorinative vicinal acetonylation of imidazo[1,2‐ a ]pyridines using selectfluor and aryl methyl ketones. This strategically designed nucleophilic addition of aryl methyl ketone to imidazopyridine was achieved through the geminal difluorination of imidazo[1,2‐ a ]pyridine using selectfluor. The method resulted in the formation of two CF bonds, one CC bond, and a quaternary stereocenter. This mild, efficient, and cost‐effective method offers a broad substrate scope and successfully extended to benzimidazothiazole derivatives.