Sodium chlorodifluoroacetate

Sodium chlorodifluoroacetate is the organofluorine compound with the formula CF2ClCO2Na. It is a salt formed by neutralization of chlorodifluoroacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. The compound, a white solid, is of interest as a source of difluorocarbene:
 * CF2ClCO2Na -> NaCl  +  CF2  +  CO2

This reaction is conducted in a hot solution also containing the substrate. Diglyme is a typical solvent. The conversion of sodium chlorodifluoroacetate is proposed to start with decarboxylation, which generates the carbanion ClF2C-.

One set of applications is difluorocyclopropanation. Thermal decomposition of sodium chlorodifluoroacetate in the presence of triphenylphosphine and an aldehyde allows for a Wittig-like reactions In this case, (C6H5)3P\dCF2 is proposed as an intermediate.