Inside Cover: 2‐(Pyridinium‐1‐yl)‐1,1‐bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)ethan‐1‐ide: A Practical Reagent for Synthesis of Strongly Acidic 1,1‐Bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)alkanes (Chem. Eur. J. 34/2017)

Abstract

A shelf‐stable, easy‐to‐handle reagent for the in situ generation of the highly electrophilic alkene (RfSO2)2C=CH2 was developed. By using this reagent, a new type of superacidic molecule was successfully synthesized. The authors also found some synthetic reactions catalyzed by the alkene. Detailed NMR studies revealed a rapid decomposition rate (milliseconds order) of the reagent to generate (RfSO2)2C=CH2/2‐fluoropyridine. In this picture, the rapid formation of (RfSO2)2C=CH2 is represented by cracking open a raw egg. This egg is also a symbol for the birth of new chemistry. More information can be found in the Full Paper by H. Yanai, T. Matusmoto et al. on page 8203.