CFC replacement HCFC-133a (CF3CH2Cl) as a convenient precursor for the synthesis of chlorodifluorovinyl-metal derivatives of main group and transition metal elements: the first X-ray structural characterisation of chlorodifluorovinyl-containing organometa

The one-pot reaction of the CFC replacement 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (CF3CH2Cl, HCFC-133a) with two equivalents of butyllithium in diethylether at −78°C followed by the addition of main group or transition metal halides results in good yields of the metal-chlorodifluorovinyl-containing compounds R3Sn(CClCF2) {R=Me, Et, Bu}, Sn(CClCF2)4, Sb(CClCF2)3, Hg(CClCF2)nCl(2−n) (n=1,2), trans-[Ni(CClCF2)2(PBu3)2], trans-[Pd(CClCF2)2(PBu3)2] and [Au(CClCF2)(PPh3)]. The molecular structures of Hg(CClCF2)Cl, trans-[Pd(CClCF2)2(Bu3P)2] and [Au(CClCF2)(PPh3)] have been obtained from single crystal data; these are the first such structural data to be reported for any chlorodifluorovinyl-containing organometallic complexes. The molecular structure of [Au(CFCF2)(PPh3)], which was prepared using a similar method based on CF3CH2F (HFC-134a), is also reported and compared with that of the chlorodifluorovinyl analogue.