Synthesis of 1,3-bifunctional cyclobutane derivatives with α-CHF2/CF3 group – advanced building blocks for medicinal chemistry

•Synthesis of α-CF3/CHF2-substituted 1,3-bifunctional cyclobutanes is described.•Conformationally restricted analogs of γ-amino- and γ-hydroxybutyric acids are obtained.•Fluorinated derivatives of 3-oxocyclobutanecarboxylic acid – a bulk reactant – are reported.•The target building blocks are synthesized as single (1s,3s)-diastereomers.