Radical additions to fluoroolefins. Photochemical fluoroalkylation of alkanols and alkane diols with perfluoro vinyl ethers; photo-supported O-alkylation of butane-1,4-diol with hexafluoropropene

Abstract Butane-1,4-diol was fluoroalkylated by its photoaddition reactions with hexafluoropropene and perfluoro (propyl vinyl) ether under atmospheric pressure, by which monofluoroalkylated and bis-fluoroalkylated products were obtained. 1,3-Diols were completely unreactive under the conditions. 2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol, tert.butyl alcohol and methyl tert.butyl ether appeared to be inert solvents for the additions while acetonitrile quenched the reactions. The reactivity of perfluoro vinyl ethers was studied (tested) in their photoaddition reactions with alkanols that were less regioselective (up to 7% rel.of regioisomer) in comparison with hexafluoropropene. Surprisingly, photo-supported base-induced nucleophilic monoand bis-addition of butane-1,4-diol onto hexafluoropropene was observed in acetonitrile.