Stereochemistry of the epoxidation of internal perfluoroalkenes with sodium hypochlorite

The authors studied the epoxidation of the mixture of cis and trans isomers of internal disubstituted perfluoroalkenes with sodium hypochlorite. Epoxidation was realized with an alkaline aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite in the presence of acetonitrile. The epoxidation of the geometric isomers of internal disubstituted perfluoroalkenes by sodium hypochlorite is stereospecific. The /sup 19/F NMR spectra of the cis and trans isomers of internal perfluoroolefin oxides were obtained, and the relationships are discussed.