A novel reaction involving electron transfer and the breakage of a C-F bond has been investigated. In this reactio, 1, 2-diphenylhexafluorocyclobutane(1)reacts with i-PrONa to yield a substitution product 9. The reaction has to be photostimulated, and O2 and p-dinitrobenzene inhibit the reaction. Interestingly and unexpectedly, other alkoxides, viz. MeO-, EtO-, n-PrO- and t-BuO-, do not react with 1. Thus the reaction does not look like a SRN 1. However, the most amazing fact is: only the cis isomer of 1 reacts, whereas the trans isomer does not. Possibly, simultaneous breakage of α-C-H bond (in the i-PrO-) and formation of a (temporary) H-F bond is involved in a very tight transition state of the (caged?) reaction between the radical anion of 1 and the i-PrO.

Key words: HYDROCARBON WITH TWO PHENYLS P, ELECTRON TRANSFER, FLUOROHYDROCARBON, FREE RADICAL REACTION, CYCLOBUTANE P