Nucleophilic reactions of fluoroolefins. II. Regioselectivity and elimination-addition competition in the reaction of 1-phenylpentafluoropropenes with sodium ethoxide

1-Phenylpentafluoropropene and its para-substituted analogs $\text{1}$ are susceptible to nucleophilic attack at both vinylic carbon atoms C-1 and C-2. They react with ethanolio sodium ethoxide to give predominantly substitution products, 1-ethoxy-1-phenyltetrafluoropropenes $\text{2}$ and 2-ethoxy-1-phenyltetrafluoropropenes $\text{3}$, with only little formation of adducts, $\text{viz}$. 2-ethoxy-1H-1-phenylpentafluoropropanes $\text{4}$. Alkenes $\text{1}$, where the para-substituent X  H,Cl,and CF₃ give additionally 1,2-diethoxy-1-phenyltrifluoropropenes $\text{5}$ and, where X = CF₃ also 2,2-diethoxy-1H-1-phenyltetrafluoropropane $\text{6}$. Overall regioselectivity of nucleophilic attack of the ethoxide ion on alkenes $\text{1}$ exhibits the Hammett type correlation with Ó_p values of substituents X: CH₃O and CH₃ groups favour the attack on the vinylic carbon C-1, while CF₃ and Cl substituents direct the attack on the C-2 carbon of alkenes $\text{1}$. The E and Z isomers of 1-ethoxy and 1,2-diethoxy substituted alkenes $\text{2}$ and $\text{5}$ were formed in comparable amounts, while the E isomers of 2-ethoxy substituted alkenes $\text{3}$ were always formed with a 93 – 97 % selectivity.