Metal/Fluorocarbon Pyrolants: V. Theoretical Evaluation of the Combustion Performance of Metal/Fluorocarbon Pyrolants based on Strained Fluorocarbons

The potential of strained fluorocarbons, which can act as oxidizers in metal‐based pyrolant systems, is investigated. The oxidizing performance of fluorocarbons is evaluated by the enthalpy of combustion Δ_cH(298K) and the fractional electron transfer ΔN. Δ_cH(298K) can be related to hybridisation, molar C/F ratio and strain of the parent carbon skeleton of the fluorocarbon. Considered fluorocarbons are tetrafluorotetrahedrane (CF)₄ ( 3 ), tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)tetrahedrane C₄(CF₃)₄ ( 4 ), hexafluoro3]prismane (CF)₆ ( 5 ), hexakis(trifluoromethyl)3]prismane C₆(CF₃)₆ ( 6 ), octafluorocubane (CF)₈ ( 7 ), octakis(trifluoromethyl)cubane C₈(CF₃)₈ ( 8 ), eicosafluorododecahedrane (CF)₂₀ ( 9 ), eicosakis(trifluoromethyl)dodecahedrane C₂₀(CF₃)₂₀ ( 10 ), C₆₀F₄₈ ( 11 ) and perfluorofullerane (CF)₆₀ ( 12 ). Powerful oxidisers in terms of exothermicity are those possessing both tertiary C F‐units and strained carbon skeletons. Nevertheless the reactivity, which is estimated on basis of ΔN, the fraction of electrons transferred according to Pearson, has been found to be high with the corresponding perfluoromethyl derivatives and maximum with the fluorofulleranes. For part IV see Ref. 17.