A method of preparing vicinal difluoro aromatic compounds in high yield from hydroxy aromatic compounds using various bases and a method of preparing intermediates thereof. A method for making a vicinal difluoro halogenated aromatic compound including providing a tetrafluoro derivative of a halogen substituted aromatic compound, wherein the tetrafluoro derivative has two fluorine atoms on each of two adjacent carbons and at least one additional halogen substituent; reacting the tetrafluoro derivative with a reducing agent in presence of a base for a reaction time sufficient to form the vicinal difluoro halogenated aromatic compound containing two vicinal fluorine substituents and the at least one additional halogen substituent, wherein the reducing agent is used in a reducing agent effective amount sufficient to retain the at least one additional halogen substituent.