Nickel Fluorocarbene Metathesis with Fluoroalkenes.

Alkene metathesis with directly fluorinated alkenes is challenging, limiting its application in the burgeoning field of fluoro-organic chemistry. A new nickel tris(phosphite) fluoro(trifluoromethyl)carbene complex ([P Ni]=CFCF ) reacts with CF =CF (TFE) or CF =CH (VDF) to yield both metallacyclobutane and perfluorocarbene metathesis products, [P Ni]=CF and CR =CFCF (R=F, H). The reaction of [P Ni]=CFCF with trifluoroethylene also yields metathesis products, [P Ni]=CF and cis/trans-CFCF =CFH.