The thiolate anion as a nucleophile Part III. Reactions with various fluorobenzenes

The reactions of the fluorobenzenes, C₆F₅H, o-C₆H₂F₄, m-C₆H₂F₄, p-C₆H₂F₄, 1,3,5-C₆F₃H₃, 1,2,4-C₆F₃H₃, o-C₆F₂H₄, m-C₆F₂H₄, p-C₆F₂H₄ and C₆F₅H with thiolate anion nucleophiles RS^? (primarily MeS^?), have been studied in ethylene glycol/pyridine mixtures as a solvent. Multiple replacement of fluorine atoms was observed in the more highly fluorinated compounds, but in all cases two aromatic fluorine atoms were not replaced. Difluorobenzene and fluorobenzene did not react. The product orientations have been deduced from their NMR spectra. The mass spectra of the isomeric products C₆F₂H₃(SMe), C₆F₃H₂(SMe) and C₆F₂H₂(SMe)₂ have been examined.