Preparation of Trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride.

Triflic anhydride is the chemical compound with the formula (CF3SO2)2O. It is the acid anhydride derived from triflic acid. This compound is a particularly strong electrophile, useful for introducing the triflyl group, CF3SO2. Abbreviated Tf2O, triflic anhydride is the acid anhydride of the strong acid triflic acid, CF3SO2OH.   

Preparation of Trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride.

A dry, 100-ml., round-bottomed flask is charged with 36.3 g. (0.242 mole) of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (Note 1) and 27.3 g. (0.192 mole) of phosphorus pentoxide (Note 2). The flask is stoppered and allowed to stand at room temperature for at least 3 hours. During this period the reaction mixture changes from a slurry to a solid mass. The flask is fitted with a short-path distilling head and heated first with a stream of hot air from a heat gun and then with the flame from a small burner.

The flask is heated until no more trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride distills, b.p. 82–115°, yielding 28.4–31.2 g. (83–91%) of the anhydride, a colorless liquid. Although this product is sufficiently pure for use in the next step, the remaining acid may be removed from the anhydride by the following procedure. A slurry of 3.2 g. of phosphorus pentoxide in 31.2 g. of the crude anhydride is stirred at room temperature in a stoppered flask for 18 hours. After the reaction flask has been fitted with a short-path distilling head, it is heated with an oil bath, yielding 0.7 g. of forerun, b.p. 74–81°, followed by 27.9 g. of the pure trifluoromethanesulfonic acid anhydride, b.p. 81–84° .

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