CF bond activation in the reaction of BiCl3 with sodium 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenoxide

BiCl3 reacts with sodium 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenoxide (NaOR4f) in ether solution to produce an unusual condensation product in which three ORf functions have been coupled with the elimination of three fluorine atoms. The product is RfOC6H2(CF3)2C(O)ORf, which has been characterized spectroscopically and by X-ray crystallography (triclinic space group P 1; a = 8.958(1), b = 12.652(2), c = 13.722(2)Å, α = 89.596(8)°, β = 75.92(1)°, γ = 71.412(7)°, V = 1425.6(3)Å3, Z = 2). Bi(ORf)3 is believed to be an intermediate in this process. The carbonfluorine bond activation is not observed in the absence of BiCl3.