Hexafluorobenzene photochemistry: wellspring of fluorocarbon structures

Ultraviolet irradiation of hexafluorobenzene in the vapor phase gives exclusively its Dewar valence isomer, from which a wealth of highly fluorinated compounds has been derived. Photoexcited in solution, hexafluorobenzene is capable of cycloaddition with a variety of unsaturated molecules. Like the Dewar benzene, resulting adducts have served as intermediates en route to many new fluorocarbons and fluorocarbon derivatives.