Insertion reactions of difluorocarbene generated by pyrolysis of hexafluoropropene oxide to O-H bond

ROCHF2-type fluorinated ethers were synthesized by the reaction of hexafluoropropene oxide (HFPO) with alcohol or phenol. In this reaction, although the insertion reaction of difluorocarbene to O-H bond and the nucleophilic attack of alcohol or phenol to HFPO were competition, the insertion reaction proceeded predominantly to give fluorinated ether in the case of low nucleophilic alcohol or phenol. In addition, high reaction pressure is advantageous to the selectivity of the fluorinated ethers in the reaction of HFPO with (CF3)(2)CHOH or C6F5OH. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.