Selective reduction of a C-Cl bond in halomethanes with Et3GeH at nanoscopic Lewis acidic Aluminium fluoride

The selective activation of C-Cl bonds of hydrochlorofluoromethanes and chloromethanes at moderate reaction conditions using ACF in a combination with Et3GeH is presented. The reactions of the chloromethanes (CH3Cl, CH2Cl2, CHCl3 and CCl4) in the presence of Et3GeH and ACF as catalyst led to the activation of only one C-Cl bond resulting in the hydrodechlorination. Friedel-Crafts reactions with benzene as solvent are suppressed by Et3GeH. A selective hydrodechlorination of hydrochlorofluoromethanes was achieved, because a transformation of a C-F bond into a C-H bond by the combination of ACF with Et3GeH did not occur. Supporting PulseTA (R) experiments illustrated the interaction between the solid catalyst and Et3GeH, the solvent benzene or CH2Cl2. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.