acetyl hypofluorite

Chemical Properties

thermal decomposition to MeF and CO2

storage

As with all hypofluorites this reagent should be treated with care. When not in solution, or when very concentrated, it may explode. Solutions of up to 0.3 M in CFCl3 at - 78 °C or in MeCN at -45 °C are stable for days, but at rt the half-life is around 2-4 h. No data about the toxicity are available, but some hypofluorite derivatives such as CF3OF and F2O are known to be toxic. Use in a fume hood.

Purification Methods

AcOF oxidizes iodides to iodine which is then titrated (AcOF + 2KI + H⁺ - > KF + AcOH + K⁺ + I₂).