[F]Fluoromethyl iodide ([F]FCH2I): preparation and reactions with phenol, thiophenol, amide and amine functional groups

In this study, we report the synthesis and reactivity of [¹⁸F]fluoromethyl iodide ([¹⁸F]FCH₂I) with various nucleophilic substrates and the stabilities of [¹⁸F]fluoromethylated compounds. [¹⁸F]FCH₂I was prepared by reacting diiodomethane (CH₂I₂) with [¹⁸F]KF, and purified by distillation in radiochemical yields of 14-31% (n = 25). [¹⁸F]FCH₂I was stable in organic solvents commonly used for labeling and aqueous solution with pH 1-7, but was unstable in basic solutions. [¹⁸F]FCH₂I displayed a high reactivity with various nucleophilic substrates such as phenol, thiophenol, amide and amine. The [¹⁸F]fluoromethylated compounds synthesized by the reactions of phenol, thiophenol and tertiary amine with [¹⁸F]FCH₂I were stable for purification, formulation and storage. In contrast, the [¹⁸F]fluoromethylated compounds synthesized by the reactions of primary or secondary amines, and amide with [¹⁸F]FCH₂I were too unstable to be detected or purified from the reaction mixtures. Defluorination of these [¹⁸F]fluoromethyl compounds was a main decomposition route.     

A theoretical study of solvation energies of FCH2COO−, FCH2COOH,and F2CHCOO−

A continuum and a discrete-continuum models are used to determine the solvation energies of FCH₂COO^?, FCH₂COOH, and F₂CHCOO^?. For the anions, the continuum model provides results closer to the experiment, while for the acid, the addition of one water molecule improves the continuum-only energy.     

Atmospheric chemistry of CCl2FCH2CF3 (HCFC-234fb): Kinetics and mechanism of reactions with Cl atoms and OH radicals

The atmospheric chemistry of CCl₂FCH₂CF₃ (HFCF-234fb) was examined using FT-IR/relative-rate methods. Hydroxyl radical and chlorine atom rate coefficients of k(CCl₂FCH₂CF₃+OH)= (2.9 ± 0.8) × 10⁻¹⁵ cm³ molecule^–1 s^–1 and k(CCl₂FCH₂CF₃+Cl)= (2.3 ± 0.6) × 10⁻¹⁷ cm³ molecule^–1 s^–1 were determined at 297 ± 2 K. The OH rate coefficient determined here is two times higher than the previous literature value. The atmospheric lifetime for CCl₂FCH₂CF₃ with respect to reaction with OH radicals is approximately 21 years using the OH rate coefficient determined in this work, estimated Arrhenius parameters and scaling it to the atmospheric lifetime of CH₃CCl₃. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of CCl₂FCH₂CF₃ gives C(O)F₂ and C(O)ClF as stable secondary products. The halogenated carbon balance is close to 80% in our system. The integrated IR absorption cross-section for CCl₂FCH₂CF₃ is 1.87 × 10⁻¹⁶ cm molecule⁻¹ (600–1600 cm⁻¹) and the radiative efficiency was calculated to 0.26 W m⁻² ppb¹. A 100-year Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1460 was determined, accounting for an estimated stratospheric lifetime of 58 years and using a lifetime-corrected radiative efficiency estimation.     

The reaction of F atoms with C2H4. Vibrational Spectrum of the C2H4F Intermediate trapped in solid argon

When the products of the reaction between F atoms produced in a microwave discharge and C₂H₄ are frozen in a large excess of argon at 14 K, new infrared absorptions appear which can be assigned to the 2-fluoroethyl radical. Studies of the dependence of the product distribution on the F-atom concentration have confirmed that the stabilization of C₂H₄F₂ plays only a minor role under the sampling conditions typical of these experiments. Isotopic substitution experiments have demonstrated that the steric configuration about the CH bond is randomized as a result of the F-atom reaction. Upon irradiation of the sample with the full light of a medium-pressure mercury arc, absorptions of vinyl fluoride and acetylene and of the acetylene—HF complex grow in intensity, while those of FCD₂CH₂ and of FCH₂CD₂ diminish in intensity and those of FCH₂CH₂ a nd of FCH₂CD₂ are unchanged. The F-atom reactions and photolysis processes which occur in these experiments are discussed, and a tunnelling mechanism is proposed to explain the isotopic selectivity in the 2-fluoroethyl photodecomposition. The vibrational spectrum of FCH₂CH₂ is compared with that derived in a recent ab initio calculation.     

The fluorination of ethane and ethene over potassium tetrafluorocobaltate(III) and cobalt trifluoride

Fluorination of ethane and ethene with KCoF₄ and CoF₃ over a range of temperatures gave, in all cases, mixtures of polyfluoroethanes, C₂H_6-nF_n n = 1–6, with very little CC bond cleavage. Apart from an initial easy saturation of ethene to CH₂FCH₂F, both substrates had a similar reactivity. Hydrogen appeared to be replaced by fluorine almost randomly in all fluorinations. CH₂FCH₂F is a stable compound, contrary to literature reports.     

Heteroatom derivatives of aziridine

Reaction of ethylenimine with boron trifluoride at –78° C gives N--fluoroethyl-B-difluoroborazene FCH₂CH₂NHBF₂. Acetylation of the latter with acetic anhydride gives N-acetyl-N--fluoroethyl-B-difluoroborazene FCH₂CH₂N(COMe)BF₂. The IR spectra of these two compounds are investigated. N--fluoroethyl-B-difluoroborazene can react further with ethylenimine to give ultimately a polymeric product with the composition [(FCH₂CH₂NH)₂BF]_n which is also obtained by reacting BF₃ with excess ethylenimine. Reaction of N-B-fluoroethyl-B-trifluoroborane with triethylamine gives N-triethyl-B-trifluoroborane Et₃NBF₃.For Part III see [1].     

The steric and electronic effects of aliphatic fluoroalkyl groups

Ab initio calculations were performed on 18 fluorinated and unfluorinated alcohols at the B3LYP and HF levels with the 6-311G^∗∗ basis set. Molar volumes of the alcohols were computed at each level and averaged to produce a scale of relative size. From this, various isosteric replacements of potential use in drug design were suggested: ethyl by FCH₂CH₂ or HCF₂CH₂, propyl by CF₃CH₂, isopropyl by CF₃(CH₃)CH or (FCH₂)₂CH, isobutyl or t-butyl by (CF₃)₂CH, and 3-methyl-2-butyl by CF₃(CH₃)₂C. Calculation of the charge on oxygen and the Wiberg index of the CO bond allowed an electronegativity scale to be constructed for the fluoroalkyl groups. Electronegativity decreased in the order: (CF₃)₃C>(CF₃)₂CH>C₂F₅CH₂>CF₃CH₂>CH₃(CF₃)₂C>HCF₂CH₂>CF₃(CH₃)CH>(FCH₂)₂CH>FCH₂CH₂>CF₃(CH₃)₂C. This ranking agreed with literature acid dissociation data for the alcohols studied.     

Quantum dynamics of heavy light heavy reactions: Application to (F + CH4 → FCH3 + H) reaction

We apply the time-dependent theory to the collinear exchange reaction F + CH₄ → FCH₃ + H. We have performed detailed calculations on two-dimensional potential surfaces representing the ground electronic potentials of the collinear F + CH₄ → FCH₃ + H reaction, at incident energies. Transmission coefficients range from zero to unity, depending upon the incident energy. Normal modes of vibrations are displayed along the reaction path.     

Synthesis of 3,3,3-trifluoropropene from vinylidene fluoride

3,3,3-Trifluoropropene is obtained under mild conditions via 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl acetate or 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl methyl ether as key intermediates. The intermediates were prepared by conjugate addition of FCH₂OR (R = COCH₃, CH₃) generated $\text{in situ}$ from HF, paraformaldehyde and HOR to vinylidene fluoride.     

The NMR spectrum and conformation of 2,3-difluoropropionic acid ethyl ester

The ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR spectra of the CH₂FCHF group in FCH₂CHFCO₂C₂H₅ were analysed on the basis of an ABCXY spin system. The non-equivalence of the methylene protons is discussed in terms of rotational isomerism. It is concluded that the dominant rotamer is probably considerably distorted from a perfectly staggered orientation. The variation of ³J_HF with substituent electronegativity is reviewed.     

New pentafluorothio(SF5)fluoropolymers

New fluorinated polymers containing the pentafluorothio group have been prepared from SF₅Br and the appropriate fluoroolefin under reaction temperatures of 90±5°C and autogeneous pressures of up to 90 atmosphere for periods of four days to two weeks. With ethylene, FCH₂CH₂Br and SF₅CH₂CH₂Br were formed. A new monomer addition product, SF₅CF₂CF₂Br, is also reported for the first time.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Reductive Coupling for Transforming Unactivated Aryl Electrophiles into β‐Fluoroethylarenes

We report herein a facile synthetic method for converting unactivated (hetero)aryl electrophiles into β‐fluoroethylated (hetero)arenes via nickel‐catalyzed reductive cross‐couplings. This coupling reaction features the involvement of FCH₂CH₂ radical intermediate rather than β‐fluoroethyl manganese species which provides effective solutions to the problematic β‐fluoride side eliminations. The practical value of this protocol is further demonstrated by the late‐stage modification of several complex ArCl or ArOH‐derived bioactive molecules.     

Electrophilic monofluoromethylation of O-, S-, and N-nucleophiles with chlorofluoromethane

CH₂ClF has been found to be a useful electrophilic monofluoromethylating agent for a variety of O-, S-, and N-nucleophiles. The reaction is not sensitive to the radical scavenger such as nitrobenzene, which strongly supports an S_N2 mechanism rather than an SET mechanism. Although most of these products (fluoromethyl ethers, sulfides, and amines) can be isolated with good purity, some of these compounds do intend to decompose (via defluorination) during storage. The electrophilic monofluoromethylation of carbon-nucleophiles was attempted with CH₂ClF, CH₂FI, or FCH₂OTs as monofluoromethylating agents, but with no success.     

On the reactions of dimethylsulfoxide with acyl fluorides - pummerer rearrangements and formation of monofluoromethyl esters

In stoichiometry-dependent reactions, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) reacts with acyl fluorides, R_fC(O)F (R_f = F, CF₃), to yield CH₃SCH₂F and R_fC(O)OCH₂F, while CH₃SCH₂Cl and FC(O)OCH₂Cl are obtained with COClF. Oxalyl difluoride, C₂O₂F₂, reacts with DMSO to give CH₃SCH₂F and FCH₂OCH₂F.     

Calculs non empiriques sur une réaction SN2 typique

Résumé On a calculé la structure électronique de l'état initial et de l'état de transition de la réaction de substitution F^–+CH₃FFCH₃+F^– par la méthode des orbitales moléculaires SCF dans l'approximation gaussienne. On trouve que l'énergie de l'état de transition est inférieure à la somme des énergies des produits séparés CH₃F et F^–. Cependant, cette contribution négative à l'énergie d'activation est contrebalancée par la variation des énergies de solvatation.

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Ab initio calculations on a typical SN₂ ReactionElectronic structure of methyl fluoride and of the transition state (FCH₃F)^–

The electronic structure of the initial and transition states of the substitution reaction F^–+CH₃F FCH₃+F^– have been calculated by the SCF molecular orbital method in the Gaussian approximation. It is found that the energy of the transition state is lower than the sum of the energies of the separated systems CH₃F and C^–. However, this negative contribution to the activation energy is balanced by the variation of solvatation energies.

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Zusammenfassung Die Elektronenstruktur des Ausgangs- und des Übergangszustandes der Substitutionsreaktion F^–+CH₃FFCH₃+F^– wurden mit einer SCF-MO-Methode mit Gaußfunktionen berechnet. Die Energie des Übergangszustandes ist niedriger als die Summe der Energien der separierten Systeme CH₃F und F^–. Dieser negative Beitrag zu der Aktivierungsenergie wird allerdings ausgeglichen durch eine Änderung der Solvatationsenergie.

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Remerciements. Nous remercions bien sincèrement M. A. Rassat (CEN, Grenoble) de nous avoir suggéré ce problème et M. Ph. Millie (ENS, Paris) de nous avoir apporté des éléments de discussion constructifs.     

Composés d'addition des halogénures de niobium(V) et de tantale(V): VI. Réactions d'échange des composés du chlorure de niobium(V) avec quelques nitriles

The ligand exchange reactions NbCl₅·?N + RCN* ? NbCl₅ · RCN* + RCN are studied by NMR. spectroscopy for R = Me₃C, Me, FCH₂, CICH₂, BrCH₂, ICH₂. The reaction is of zero order in RCN and of first order in NbCl₅ · RCN and thus a dissociative mechanism is suggested for all the ligands studied. The enthalpies and entropies of activation are determined over 50° to 90° temperature ranges. There is a linear correlation between ΔG≠ and the free enthalpy of formation of NbCl₅ RCN. However this correlation is shown to hold only for series of adducts having the same donor group.     

Pyrolysis of 1,1‐dichloro‐1‐fluoroethane in the absence and presence of added propene or CCl4: A computer‐aided kinetic study

The thermal dehydrochlorination CCl₂FCH₃ → CClFCH₂ + HCl has been studied in a static system between 610 and 700 K at pressures ranging from 14 to 120 torr. The experiments were performed in the absence and presence of an added inhibitor (0.5 to 7 torr of C₃H₆) or catalyst (2 to 8 torr of CCl₄). The evolution of the reaction was followed by measuring the pressure rise in the quartz reaction vessel and analyzing the products by gas chromatography. All the experimental results can be explained quantitatively in terms of a reaction model both radical and molecular. The molecular dehydrochlorination has an activation energy of 57.05 kcal/mol and a preexponential factor of 10^14.02 s⁻¹. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 191–197, 2001     

Hydrogen bonding and proton transfer involving the trihydride complexes Cp*M(dppe)H3 (M = Mo,W) and fluorinated alcohols: the competitive role of the hydride ligands and metal

The protonation of complexes Cp*M(dppe)H₃ (dppe is ethylenebis(diphenylphosphine), M = Mo (1), W (2)) by a variety of fluorinated alcohols of different acid strength (FCH₂CH₂OH, CF₃CH₂OH, (CF₃)₂CHOH, and (CF₃)₃COH) was investigated experimentally by the variable temperature spectroscopic methods (IR, NMR) and stopped-flow technique (UV-Vis). The structures of the hydrogen-bonded and proton transfer products were studied by DFT calculations. In agreement with the calculation results, the IR data suggest that the initial hydrogen bond is established with a hydride site for complex 1 and with the metal site for complex 2. However, no intermediate dihydrogen complex found theoretically was detected experimentally on the way to the final classical tetrahydride product.     

Boron Tunneling in the “Weak” Bond-Stretch Isomerization of N−B Lewis Adducts

Some nitrile-boron halide adducts exhibit a double-well potential energy surface with two distinct minima: a “long bond” geometry (LB, a van der Waals interaction mostly based on electrostatics, but including a residual charge transfer component) and a “short bond” structure (SB, a covalent dative bond). This behavior can be considered as a “weak” form of bond stretch isomerism. Our computations reveal that complexes RCN−BX₃ (R=CH₃, FCH₂, BrCH₂, and X=Cl, Br) exhibit a fast interconversion from LB to SB geometries even close to the absolute zero thanks to a boron atom tunneling mechanism. The computed half-lives of the meta-stable LB compounds vary between minutes to nanoseconds at cryogenic conditions. Accordingly, we predict that the long bond structures are practically impossible to isolate or characterize, which agrees with previous matrix-isolation experiments.     

Kinetics and mechanism of atmospheric reactions of partially fluorinated alcohols

Gas-phase reactions typical of the Earth’s atmosphere have been studied for a number of partially fluorinated alcohols (PFAs). The rate constants of the reactions of CF₃CH₂OH, CH₂FCH₂OH, and CHF₂CH₂OH with fluorine atoms have been determined by the relative measurement method. The rate constant for CF₃CH₂OH has been measured in the temperature range 258–358 K (k = (3.4 ± 2.0) × 10¹³exp(?E/RT) cm³ mol^?1 s^?1, where E = ?(1.5 ± 1.3) kJ/mol). The rate constants for CH₂FCH₂OH and CHF₂CH₂OH have been determined at room temperature to be (8.3 ± 2.9) × 10¹³ (T = 295 K) and (6.4 ± 0.6) × 10¹³ (T = 296 K) cm³ mol^?1 s^?1, respectively. The rate constants of the reactions between dioxygen and primary radicals resulting from PFA + F reactions have been determined by the relative measurement method. The reaction between O₂ and the radicals of the general formula C₂H₂F₃O (CF₃CH₂? and CF₃?HOH) have been investigated in the temperature range 258–358 K to obtain k = (3.8 ± 2.0) × 10⁸exp(?E/RT) cm³ mol^?1 s^?1, where E = ?(10.2 ± 1.5) kJ/mol. For the reaction between O₂ and the radicals of the general formula C₂H₄FO (? HFCH₂O, CH₂F?HOH, and CH₂FCH₂?) at T = 258–358 K, k = (1.3 ± 0.6) × 10¹¹exp(?E/RT) cm³ mol^?1 s^?1, where E = ?(5.3 ± 1.4) kJ/mol. The rate constant of the reaction between O₂ and the radicals with the general formula C₂H₃F₂O (?F₂CH₂O, CHF₂?HOH, and CHF₂CH₂?) at T = 300 K is k = 1.32 × 10¹¹ cm³ mol^?1 s^?1. For the reaction between NO and the primary radicals with the general formula C₂H₂F₃O (CF₃CH₂? and CF₃?HOH), which result from the reaction CF₃CH₂OH + F, the rate constant at 298 K is k = 9.7 × 10⁹ cm³ mol^?1 s^?1. The experiments were carried out in a flow reactor, and the reaction mixture was analyzed mass-spectrometrically. A mechanism based on the results of our studies and on the literature data has been suggested for the atmospheric degradation of PFAs.