Mono- and difluoro-beta-amino esters were synthesized via Reformatsky reaction of fluorinated ethyl bromoacetates with N-(alpha-aminoalkyl)benzotriazoles. Secondary and tertiary amines are easily formed, but primary amines can only be made in the difluorinated case. This approach has led to the first synthesis of di- and tetrafluorinated bis(beta-amino esters). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.