The fluorination of Butane over cobalt trifluoride

The fluorination of butane over cobalt trifluoride has given a complex mixture of partially fluorinated compounds: 51 of these have been identified, comprising over 99% of the products. Most were polyfluorobutanes but 1-2% were polyfluoro-2-methylpropanes. The reaction has no synthetic utility. There was some selectivity in the fluorination: secondary C-H was converted into C-F more easily then primary, and the ease of replacement of a particular H was reduced by geminal and vicinal fluorines. A computer of the fluorination was only partially successful, perhaps because the fluorination proceeded in part by simple F for H replacement and in part via alkenes: the model only allowed for the former.