Ullmann-like reductive coupling of 1,4-diiodo-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenze
ne, promoted by copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate in N-methylpyrrolidi
none at room temperature, followed by treatment with lithium aluminum
hydride in THF, allowed us to obtain fluorinated poly(para-phenylene)
oligomers containing up to five aromatic rings with hydrogen atoms as
terminal groups. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.