Accessing structurally diverse aryl difluoromethyl ethers with bromo(difluoro)acetic acid†

We report a new streamlined approach for the difluoromethylation of ubiquitous phenols using inexpensive bromo(difluoro)acetic acid, yielding a wide array of structurally diverse OCF₂H-based building blocks in a single step. This method displays broad functional group compatibility and is amenable for effective late-stage diversification and lignin-derived monomers.