Multiphoton Excitation of trifluoroethene. Allene Production by Difluorovinylidine

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j150655a007

Trifluorethene was excited with a high-power, pulsed CO2 laser, and the products were analyzed by mass and infrared spectroscopy.Mainly, this initiates αα elimination of HF to produce difluorovinylidine, CCF2.This species adds across the double bond of another parent molecule followed by deactivation or release of CF2 and carbon insertion to produce trifluoroallene and C2F4.In the presence of other olefins, C2H4, C2D4, and C2F4, multiphoton excitation of trifluoroethene forms respectively allene, perdeuterioallene, and perfluoroallene.In the presence of cyclopentadiene, carbon insertion seems to take place, but benzene is not formed.In these experiments, some olefin products show that when a vibrationally excited trifluoroethene molecule collides with another olefin, metathesis can take place, presumably through a cyclobutane intermediate.