Electrochemical fluorination of methanedisulfonyl fluoride

Abstract The electrochemical fluorination of methanedisulfonyl fluoride in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride to produce difluoromethanedisulfonyl fluoride, a precursor of difluoromethane disulfonic acid, was investigated. This study was carried out in a microprocessor-aided modified Simons' reactor system at constant anodic potential using a Cu/CuF 2 reference electrode. Product yields of 75–82%, current efftciencies in excess of 66%, and electrical energy efficiencies of at least 33% were obtained for the electrochemical fluorination step. Experimental results of this investigation are presented and discussed.