Fluorine makes you an offer you can’t refuse

Godfather-inspired illustration

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What might we do if we had a new, electron-donating equivalent element?

I’m always very happy to read about new methods of introducing fluorine atoms into organic molecules, because (like most medicinal chemists!) I consider the element an old friend of mine. Back before I started doing drug research, I would have considered that a very strange thing to say, though.

That’s because fluorine has a nasty reputation that is absolutely earned.