New or improved syntheses of the polyfluoroalcohols HOC(cyclo-C6H11)2(CF3), HO(cyclo-C6H11)(CF3)2, and HOC(Ar)(CF3)2 (Ar = 4-C6H4(t-Bu), 2,4,6-C6H2(CF3)3, 4-Si(i-Pr)3-2,6-C6H2(CF3)2, 3,5-C6H3(CH3)2), and 2-C6H4(C(OH)(CF3)2)

Five new polyfluoroalcohols, HOC(cyclo-C6H11)2(CF3), HO(cyclo-C6H11)(CF3)2, HOC(2,4,6-C6H2(CF3)3)(CF3)2, HOC(4-Si(i-Pr)3-2,6-C6H2(CF3)2)(CF3)2, and HOC(3,5-C6H3(CH3)2)(CF3)2, have been synthesized, and new procedures with improved yields for two known polyfluoroalcohols (HOC(cyclo-C6H11)(CF3)2, HOC(4-C6H4(t-Bu))(CF3)2) have been developed. Variable temperature 19F NMR spectra and the X-ray structure of one of the new polyfluoroalcohols, HOC(2,4,6-C6H2(CF3)3)(CF3)2, are also reported. In hydrocarbon solution, the OH hydrogen atom of this compound interacts with one of the fluorine atoms of one of the o-CF3 groups in a manner identical to that previously reported by us for HOC(4-Si(i-Pr)3-2,6-C6H2(CF3)2)(CF3)2. In the solid-state, however, the OH hydrogen atom in HOC(2,4,6-C6H2(CF3)3)(CF3)2 appears to interact with one fluorine atom from each of the two geminal CF3 groups.