Methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate: an improved procedure starting from hexafluoropropene-1,2-oxide; identification of byproducts

Optimized laboratory-scale preparation of methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate (3, MTFP) has been developed starting from industrial hexafluoropropene-1,2-oxide (1, HFPO) via methyl 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-methoxypropanoate (2, MTPr), which was transformed to 3 using sulfuric acid with isolated yields up to 81%. Byproducts formed in the transformation of 2 to 3, viz. methyl trifluoroacetate (4, MTAc), methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate hydrate (5), methyl hemiacetal of trifluoropyruvate (6), a dimer of methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate hydrate (7, DimMTP), and methyl fluorosulfate (8, Sulf) were identified and their amounts determined under various experimental conditions. Potential reaction pathways leading to the formation of the byproducts are discussed.