Isomerization of perfluoro-3,3-diethylindan-1-one into perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl-4-ethyl-1 H-isochromen under the action of antimony pentafluoride

The heating of perfluoro-3,3-diethylindan-1-one with SbF₅ at 180°C after treatment of the reaction mixture with anhydrous HF afforded perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylisochromen, and after hydrolysis, perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl-4-ethyl-1H-isochromen-1-ol. The latter under the action of NaHCO₃ converted into 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,3-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1H-isochromen-1-ol. Both isochromenols reacted with SOCl₂ gave the corresponding polyfluoro-1-chloro-1H-isochromens. On dissolving isochromenols in CF₃SO₃H and isochromens in SbF₅ perfluoro-1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylisochromenyl and 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,3-bis(trifluoromethyl)isochromenyl cations were generated which by hydrolysis were converted into the corresponding isochromenols.