Synthesis of the veterinary antibiotic florfenicol by a fast chemo-enzymatic route

Fluorinated structures make up more than 20 percent of modern drugs, but benign and fast fluorination schemes are scarce. In a study published in the European Journal of Organic Chemistry, scientists have now combined dynamic kinetic resolution and nucleophilic fluorination for the asymmetric synthesis of florfenicol, a veterinary antibiotic. After enzymatic resolution of the racemate, two different fluorination strategies both proved effective and fast. One is especially interesting for industrial production.