HOF center dot CH3CN, an excellent oxygen transfer agent

A short review on the new oxygen transfer agent HOF . CH3CN is presented. A lthough very potent, this reagent is used under very mild reaction conditio ns, a fact that enables it to perform transformations of which other reagen ts are incapable. It epoxidize any double bond, including very deactivated ones, in short reaction times and high yields. It also efficiently oxidizes amines to nitro derivatives and transform sulfides, even highly deactivate d ones, into the corresponding sulfones. It is also useful for hydroxylatio n or to alpha carbonyl of many ketones, esters and acids. HOF . CH3CN is ea sily prepared by bubbling mixtures of fluorine and nitrogen through aqueous acetonitrile [1-12].