A catalytic protocol for the preparation of α,α-difluoro-β-alkyl-β-ketoamides is developed employing a Pd-mediated carbonylative Suzuki coupling between alkylboron reagents and bromodifluoroacetamides with COgen as the CO source. The reaction reveals good functional group tolerance providing a broad selection of α,α-difluoro-β-alkyl-β-ketoamides in moderate to good yields, which represent useful precursors for further synthetic manipulation. Finally, the methodology is amenable to 13C-isotope labeling at the ketone carbon applying 13C-COgen.
