Skeletal rearrangements during the fluorination of C6-hydrocarbons over cobalt(III) trifluoride

Abstract

Perfluorination of hexane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, 2,2-dimethylbutane, 2,3-dimethyl-butane, methylcyclopentane and cyclohexane over cobalt(III) trifluoride gave, in each case except perhaps cyclohexane, a mixture of linear, branched and cyclic C₆-fluorocarbons: the degree of skeletal rearrangement (excluding cyclohexane) varied from ca. 7%(methylcyclopentane) to 96%(2,2-dimethylbutane). A carbocation mechanism, which does not proceed to equilibrium, is suggested.