10.1007/BF00953645
The study investigates the intramolecular cyclization of pentafluorobenzene derivatives, focusing on the reaction of trimethylsilylpentafluorobenzene (I) with perfluoro-4-methyl-2-pentene (II) in the presence of cesium fluoride (CsF). This reaction unexpectedly yields approximately equal amounts of perfluoro-1,1,3-trimethylindane (IV) and perfluoro-4-methyl-2-phenyl-2-pentene (III). The authors propose a mechanism where the initial step involves nucleophilic pentafluorophenylation of olefin (II) by a complex of arylsilane (I) and CsF, leading to a perfluorinated carbanion (V). This carbanion can either lose a fluoride ion to form perfluorinated arylolefin (III) or undergo further reactions to form fluorinated indane (IV). The study also includes experimental details on the synthesis and characterization of these compounds, highlighting the unique formation of perfluoroindane derivatives through intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization.