Transient kinetics investigations of reaction intermediates involved in CF2Cl2 hydrodechlorination

The reaction intermediates formed during hydrodechlorination of CF₂Cl₂ catalyzed by Pd supported on AlF₃ have been investigated using steady state and transient kinetics experiments. The formation of the coupling product C₂H₆ and its dependence on H₂ partial pressure have been used to investigate the pathways by which possible surface carbene species react. Reactions of surface species formed during the CF₂Cl₂ hydrodechlorination with scavenging agent C₂H₄ yielded addition products typical of metal-carbenes. Information from these experiments suggests that for carbene and fluorocarbene species formed on the surface of a Pd/AlF₃ catalyst the rates of hydrogenation vs. coupling reactions are different.