The copper(I)-mediated generation of -OCF CF - moieties by the oxycupration of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) using either copper aryloxides or alkoxides is disclosed. The key intermediates, 2-aryloxy-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl and 2-alkoxy-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl copper complexes, were obtained from the reaction of the corresponding aryloxy and alkoxy copper complexes with TFE, and their structures in solution and in the solid state were unambiguously determined by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. These copper complexes subsequently reacted with aryl iodides (ArI) to afford ROCF CF Ar (R=aryl or alkyl) in high yields.