A re-investigation of the reactions of pyromellitic acid and its dianhydride with sulphur tetrafluoride

The fluorination of pyromellitic acid (1) with sulphur tetrafluoride or pyromelliticdianhydride (2) by means of an SF₄---HF mixture gave, besides the expected 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)benzene (3), considerable amounts of 5,6-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,1,3,3-tetrafluoro-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran (4) and detectable quantities of1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octafluoro-1,3,5, 7-tetrahydrobenzo1,2-c:4,5-c′]difuran (5). Acidic hydrolysisof 4 gave 4,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phthalic acid (6) which on treatment with SF₄ andHF yielded compounds 3 and 4.