Chlorofluoroiodomethane is a trihalomethane with the chemical formula . This complex organic compound is characterized by having three halogen atoms—fluorine, chlorine, and iodine—bonded to a methane backbone. The molecule is chiral.
Synthesis The compound can be obtained by reacting dichloromethane with mercury fluoride. Also, by heating dry (+)- strychnine fluorochloroiodoacetate at 100 mmHg and 110 °C can produce (+)-chlorofluoroiodomethane.
Uses Chlorofluoroiodomethane serves as a potentially important reagent in organic synthesis, especially for the transfer of halogenated methyl groups. Its three distinct carbon-halogen bonds exhibit varied reactivity, rendering it a flexible precursor for assembling more complex molecular structures.
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