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Michelle Curtis
James Madison University

Subject Listing - Chemistry
Advisor: Dr. Scott Lewis

Thursday, Poster Session 1, Presentation Table 4, Health & Fitness Center

SYNTHESIS OF 3-METHYL-PENTYLCYCLOBUTENE--INITIAL ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE A FLUOROCYCLOPENTADIENE ON THE PATHWAY TO 1,3-DIFLUOROBENZENES

One of the key intermediates in the proposed mechanism to form 1,3-difluorobenzenes from substituted cyclobutenes with difluorocarbene is believed to be a fluorocyclopentadiene. To date, this intermediate has proven to be too fast kinetically to catch and characterize. Rather than try to catch the intermediate on its way to a 1,3-difluorobenzene, controlling the reactivity of the intermediate is feasible. An appropriately substituted cyclobutene should allow the fluorocyclopentadiene to be captured and characterized. This paper discusses the synthesis of 3-methyl-3-pentylcyclobutene, and its reactions with difluorocarbene.

Advisor: Dr. Scott Lewis, Associate Professor, Chemistry, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA