General procedure for the synthesis of 2-fluoro-6-methoxyacetophenone from 1-(2-fluoro-6-methoxyphenyl)ethan-1-ol: Pyridinium dichromate (44 g, 0.116 mol) was added to a solution of N,N-dimethylformamide (130 mL) of 1-(2-fluoro-6-methoxyphenyl)ethan-1-ol (13.1 g, 0.077 mol). stirred at room temperature for 12 hours. Upon completion of the reaction, water (300 mL) was added to the reaction mixture, diluted with ethyl acetate and filtered through diatomaceous earth. The organic layer was separated, washed with saturated brine, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and concentrated under reduced pressure to afford 2-fluoro-6-methoxyacetophenone as a brown liquid (9.2 g, 70% yield).1H-NMR (δ ppm, CDCl3, 400 MHz): 7.73 (dd, J = 15.1, 8.4 Hz, 1H), 6.73 (m, 2H), 3.85 (s, 3H), 2.53 (s, 3H), 3.85 (s, 3H), 3.85 (s, 3H), 3.85 (s, 3H). 3H), 2.53 (s, 3H).
