Synthesis of new α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroesters

Substituted phenyl iodides or diiodides reacted with ethyl iodotetrafluoroproponylate ICF2CF2CO2Et, 1 in the presence of copper powder to give the coupled products 2 or 3 in good yields. Addition of 1 to ethylene and allyl acetate proceeded smoothly under thermal and radical conditions to give the corresponding adducts, which underwent elimination reaction to give β-vinyl and β-allyl α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroesters, CH2CHCF2CF2CO2Et, 4 and CH2CHCH2CF2CF2CO2Et, 5, respectively. 1 also readily reacted with 1,5-hexadiene and 1-hexene with copper or palladium complex, followed by reduction to remove iodine to produce ω-alkenyl-α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroester CH2CH(CH2)4CF2CF2CO2Et 6 and α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroester C4H9CH2CHICF2CF2CO2Et.