Insertion reactions of difluorocarbene generated by pyrolysis of hexafluoropropene oxide to O-H bond

ROCHF₂-type fluorinated ethers were synthesized by the reaction of hexafluoropropene oxide (HFPO) with alcohol or phenol. In this reaction, although the insertion reaction of difluorocarbene to OH bond and the nucleophilic attack of alcohol or phenol to HFPO were competition, the insertion reaction proceeded predominantly to give fluorinated ether in the case of low nucleophilic alcohol or phenol. In addition, high reaction pressure is advantageous to the selectivity of the fluorinated ethers in the reaction of HFPO with (CF₃)₂CHOH or C₆F₅OH.