Acid catalyzed cyclodimerization of 2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4-alkoxy-oxetanes and -thietanes. Synthesis of 2,2,6,6-tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)-4,8-dialkoxy-1,5-dioxocanes and 3,3,7,7-tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)-9-oxa-2,6-dithia-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane

• Viacheslav A. Petrov and
• Will Marshall

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2010, 6, No. 46, doi:10.3762/bjoc.6.46

• States 10.3762/bjoc.6.46 Abstract Treatment of 2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4-R-oxetanes (R = C2H5O, n-C3H7O, n-C4H9O) with BF3·OEt2 in CH2Cl2 solvent results in spontaneous electrophilic [4 + 4] cyclodimerization with the formation of the corresponding 2,2,6,6-tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)-4,8-dialkoxy-1,5

• was established by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Keywords: cyclodimerization; electrophilic [4 + 4] cyclodimerization; fluorinated oxetanes; fluorinated thietanes; reaction with alcohols; reaction with H2SO4; Introduction Polyfluorinated 2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4-alkoxy-oxetanes and -thietanes