Free radical addition of cyclopentane and cyclohexane to halogeno derivatives of 1,2-difluoroethene

Free radical addition reactions between cyclopentane and cyclohexane and a range of difluoroalkenes, CF2CXY (X, Y = H, F, Cl, Br) gave a series of adducts bearing difluoromethylene substituents, R-CF2-CXYH (R = c-C5H9 or c-C6H11), in reasonable yield even though telomerisation and halogen transfer (when X, Y = Cl, Br) can compete. Dehydrofluorination of the adducts gave several new polyhalogenated alkenes.