Reaction of perfluoro-1-ethylindan with SiO2/SbF5 and skeletal transformations of perfluoro-3-ethylindan-1-one under the action of SbF5 and SiO2/SbF5

Perfluoro-1-ethylindan heated with excess of SiO2 in an SbF5 medium at 75 °C and then treated with water, gives 4-carboxy-perfluoro-3-methylisochromen-1-one. Perfluoro-3-ethylindan-1-one is converted, under the action of SbF5 at 70 °C, to perfluoro-2-(but-2-en-2-yl)benzoic acid as a mixture of E- and Z-isomers. When the reaction temperature is raised to 125 °C, a solution of salts of perfluoro-3,4-dimethyl-1H-isochromen-1-yl and perfluoro-4-ethyl-1H-isochromen-1-yl cations is obtained. Increase in the reaction time lowers the content of a salt of the latter cation in the solution. Hydrolysis of the solution of the salts gives perfluoro-3,4-dimethylisochromen-1-one and perfluoro-4-ethylisochromen-1-one.