Electrophilic polyfluoroalkylating agents based on sulfonate esters

This review surveys selected electrophilic polyfluoroalkylating reagents, polyfluoroalkyl alkane- and arenesulfonates, that have been used for the introduction of longer perfluorinated chains (CnF2n+1; n ≥ 4) with methylene, ethylene or propylene spacers into the substrate. Polyfluoroalkyl mesylates, tosylates, triflates and nonaflates are described with their applications in various syntheses of polyfluorinated compounds.