C6F5XeF, a versatile starting material in xenon–carbon chemistry

The molecules ArFXeF (ArF=C6F5, 2,4,6-C6H2F3) with a more polar Xe–F bond than XeF2 are versatile starting materials for substitution reactions. Fluorine-aryl substitutions with Cd(ArF)2, C6F5SiMe3/[F]−, and C6F5SiF3 formed symmetric and/or asymmetric diarylxenon compounds. Applying C6F5BF2, with a higher F−-affinity than the corresponding aryltrifluorosilane, in contrast gave the salt [RXe] [ArFBF3]. Using the alkenyl and alkyl compounds CF2=CFSiMe3/[F]−, CF3SiMe3/[F]−, and Cd(CF3)2 in reactions with C6F5XeF, the perfluoroalkenyl or -alkyl transfer reagents were consumed without observing C6F5XeCF=CF2 or C6F5XeCF3 but the formation of Xe(C6F5)2 (dismutation product) and in the latter case C6F5CF3 (coupling product), gave hints of the desired intermediates.