Originally, we began the synthesis with 2,6-dichloropyridine (1a in Scheme [2] ). Later on we found it advantageous to use 2-fluoropyridine (1b) as the starting material. The addition of trifluoroacetic acid ethyl ester to the lithiated pyridines and aqueous work-up yielded the hydrates 5a and 5b instead of the acetyl compounds, consistent with reports which describe the formation of stable gem-diols of 3-trifluoroacetylpyridine. [10] The dehydration can be achieved by azeotropic ...