1,1,1,3,3,3-HEXAFLUOROPROPAN-2-OL (HFP) AS A SOLVENT FOR ELECTROCHEMISTRY

1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFP) is a non-nucleophilic and high ly polar solvent with strongly solvating ability toward nucleophiles, especially anionic ones. This combination of properties makes HFP a fa vourable solvent for electrode reactions in which stabilization of rad ical cations is required, or where anion participation is not desirabl e. Examples of successful applications are described for aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds, nitrones, anions, or halogens and halogen-co ntaining compounds. A special case is electropolymerization to give co nducting polymers, where the generally lower reactivity of radical cat ions in HFP leads to qualitatively different behaviour, e.g. formation of a dehydrodimer radical cation from fluoroanthene in HFP as compare d to the formation of a conducting polymer in acetonitrile.