Sequential chlorination/fluorination of aromatic trifluoroacetylated ketones gives 1-aryl 2-chloro-2,4,4,4-tetrafluoro-butan-1,3-dione hydrates that are used for the synthesis of ketones and alkenes exhibiting a terminal bromochlorofluoromethyl group. The hydrates undergo detrifluoroacetylative cleavage and subsequent bromination in the presence of a copper(II)bisoxazoline catalyst, K2CO3 and NBS at room temperature. The corresponding bromochlorofluoromethyl ketones can be applied in Wittig and Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions and dibromoalkenylations.