A review on the halodefluorination of aliphatic fluorides
Halodefluorination of alkylfluorides using Group 13 metal halides has been known for quite some time (first reported by Newman in 1938) and is often utilised in its crude stoichiometric form to substitute fluorine with heavier halogens. However, recently halodefluorination has undergone many developments. The reaction can be effected with a range of metal halide sources (including s-block, f-block and p-block metals), and has been developed into a catalytic process. Further, methods for monoselective halodefluorination in polyfluorocarbons have been developed allowing exchange of only a single fluorine with a heavier halogen. The reaction has also found use in cascade processes where the final product may not even contain halide, yet the conversion of fluorine to more reactive halogens is a pivotal reaction step in the cascade. This review provides a summary of the developments in the reaction since its inception until now.