Synthesis and Identification of Solution-Stable Sulfenic Acids: Perfluoroalkanesulfenic Acids.

Taking advantage of the strong electron-withdrawing effect of perfluoroalkyl groups, solution-stable perfluoroalkanesulfenic acids were synthesized for the first time by Cope-type elimination of the corresponding imines; the acids were identified by 1H NMR, 19F NMR, and IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Trapping reagents were utilized to capture the in situ generated sulfenic acids, which provided further experimental evidence for the formation of these fluorinated sulfenic acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]