Formation and skeletal transformations of perfluoroindan-1-one and perfluoroindan-1,3-dione in the reaction of perfluoroindan with SiO2/SbF5

Perfluoroindan-1-one (2) is obtained in the reaction of perfluoroindan (1) with SiO₂/SbF₅ at 70 °C. Compound 1 heated with SiO₂/SbF₅ at 130 °C and then treated with water, gives 3-hydroxy-perfluoro-3-methylphthalide (4). Ketone 2 is converted, under the action of SbF₅ at 130 °C, to perfluoro-2-ethylbenzoic acid (9) and disproportionates to compound 1 and perfluoroindan-1,3-dione (3); the latter is transformed to phthalide 4 under the reaction conditions.