Trifluoromethylcyclohexane as a new solvent? Limits of use

Reactivity and stability of trifluoromethylcyclohexane (TFMC) has been investigated towards various reagents, in order to evaluate its possible use as solvent. TFMC is stable in most oxidizing conditions, indicating the protective effect of a fluoroalkyl substituent towards oxidation, and surprisingly, it is also very stable towards strong bases. TFMC has also been assessed as a chlorinated solvent substitute in some reactions. It is clearly adapted as a CCl 4 substitute in allylic bromination reaction.