Formation of difluoromethylene-arenium complexes by consecutive aryl-CF3 C-C bond activation and C-F bond cleavage

A study on the activation of C-C and C-F bonds through the insertion of platinum group metal complexes in solution reports on the consecutive C-C activation and C-F cleavage in one chemical system. The process involves selective metal insertion into a very strong aryl-CF3 C-C bond followed by reaction of the resulting RhIII-CF3 complex with protonic or Lewis acids to form unique difluoromethylene-arenium complexes by C-F cleavage and C-C bond formation.