The successful use of the greenhouse gas SF5CF3 as CF3 source for trifluoromethylation reaction with a photocatalysts has been shown. Addition of alcohol to the reaction led to a concomitant deoxyfluorination.
The greenhouse gas SF5CF3 was photochemically activated with SIMes (1,3-Bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene) to give 1,3-dimesityl-2,2-difluoroimidazolidine (SIMesF2), and 1,3-dimesitylimidazolidine-2-sulfide, as well as the trifluoromethylated carbene derivative 1,3-dimesityl-2-fluoro-2-trifluoromethylimidazolidine. CF3 radicals, as well as SF4, serve presumably as intermediates of the conversions. In addition, the photochemical activation of SF5CF3 was performed in the presence of triphenylphosphine. The formation of triphenyldifluorophosphorane and triphenylphosphine sulfide was observed.