?-BIS(BENZENE)CHROMIUM(0)-CATALYZED OLIGOMERIZATION OF PERFLUOROPROPYLENE

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)81475-8

In the presence of zerovalent ?-bis(benzene)chromium(0) (I), perfluoropropylene (II) was found to undergo oligomerization under very mild conditions to dimers (b.p. 46 deg, M⁺, 300) and trimers (b.p. 100-102 deg C, M⁺ - 19, 431) in the ratio of 2.5-3.0 to 1.One mol of metal complex could catalyze the conversion of 50 mol of perfluoropropylene.One the basis of 19F NMR, the structures of the dimers are III and IV in a ratio of ca. 80/20 and the trimers V and VI; VII and VIII also seemed to be present.V/VI/(VII + VIII) is 80/10/4.In benzene solution, perfluoropropylene was shown not to be catalytically oligomerized by fluoride ion (KF, CrF2 of (CH3)4NF) (nor by monovalent ?-dibenzenechromium(I).A possible mechanism of the reaction was proposed.