Catalytic Hydrodefluorination of Perfluorinated Compounds

Significance

Partially fluorinated hydrocarbons and perfluorinated hydrocarbons are part of the main contributors to the ‘super greenhouse ­gases’. Additionally, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid derivatives that are used in surfactants were shown to be toxic. The transformation of these compounds to the unreactive hydrocarbons could potentially have a huge impact on the environmental effects of these substances. The authors of this paper have provided methods for the derivatization of these partially and perfluorinated compounds to their unfunctionalized counterparts.