Olefin Metathesis in Fluorinated Compounds
Summary
Olefin metathesis in fluorinated compounds harnesses the exchange of alkene fragments to construct C=C bonds within perfluorinated or partially fluorinated substrates. The introduction of fluorine atoms can profoundly influence reaction kinetics and selectivity by modulating electronic properties, steric profiles and catalyst–substrate interactions. Fluorinated olefin metathesis has been applied to the synthesis of advanced polymers, fine-chemical intermediates and biologically active molecules, offering routes to materials with exceptional thermal stability, chemical resistance and unique surface characteristics. The main challenges lie in designing catalysts that tolerate strong C–F bonds and in achieving high turnover numbers under mild conditions. Recent advances in catalyst design and support modification have begun to address these challenges, enabling more sustainable and efficient processes.
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Olefin Metathesis in Fluorinated Compounds publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in olefin metathesis in fluorinated compounds across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Olefin metathesis: A catalytic transformation in which carbon–carbon double bonds are broken and reformed, exchanging alkene fragments between molecules.
Fluorinated support: A catalyst carrier (e.g. alumina) whose surface hydroxyl groups are partially replaced by fluoride, modifying acidity and active-site properties.
Lewis acid site: An electron-pair acceptor site on a catalyst surface that can activate alkenes towards metathesis by coordinating to the π bond.
Perfluoroalkoxy ligand: A ligand bearing fully fluorinated alkoxy groups (–OCF3, –O(CF3)2), which withdraw electron density and stabilise high-oxidation-state metal centres.
Ring-closing metathesis (RCM): A subtype of olefin metathesis in which a diene undergoes intramolecular cyclisation to form a cyclic alkene, often used to construct rings.
References
- Effect of the MoO 3/Al2O3 catalyst fluorination on the propylene metathesis reaction. Izvestiya of Saratov University Chemistry Biology Ecology (2022).
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