Preparation of fluorinated nitroalkanes

Abstract

In the preparation of an .alpha.-fluorinated nitroalkane of the formula ##STR1## in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are identical or different and individually represent hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, alkyl, halogenoalkyl or cycloalkyl, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 have the meaning indicated and R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 together represent an alkylene group having 3-6 carbon atoms, by conjugated nitrofluorination of the corresponding olefin of the formula ##STR2## the improvement which comprises employing about 1.1 mols of hydrogen fluoride and 1 to 2 mols of nitric acid per mol of olefin and carrying out the reaction in the presence of an agent which binds water, e.g. chlorosulphonic acid, fluorosulphonic acid, sulphur trioxide, sulphur dioxide, thionyl chloride, thionyl fluoride, sulfuryl chloride or sulfuryl fluoride. The end products, some of which are known, are useful as intermediates in synthesizing herbicides.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.