9681. Trifluoroacetic Acid

Nomenclature

CAS number: 76-05-1
Perfluoroacetic acid.
C2HF3O2; mol wt 114.02.
C 21.07%, H 0.88%, F 49.99%, O 28.06%.
CF3COOH.

Description and references

Prepn: F. Swarts, Bull. Sci. Acad. R. Belg. 8, 343 (1922); by oxidation of fluorine olefins: A. L. Henne, US 2371757 (1945 to du Pont); A. L. Henne et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 67, 918 (1945). Improved prepn: A. L. Henne, P. Trott, ibid. 69, 1820 (1947). Photochemical prepn: R. N. Hazeldine, F. Nyman, J. Chem. Soc. 1959, 387; eidem, ibid. 420. Toxicity and metabolism: M. M. Airaksinen, T. Tammisto, Ann. Med. Exp. Biol. Fenn. 46, 242 (1968). Review: J. B. Milne in Chem. Non-Aqueous Solvents vol. 5B, J. J. Lagowski, Ed. (Academic Press, New York, 1978) pp 1-52.

Properties

Liquid, sharp biting odor. bp 72.4°. mp 15.4°. d20 1.5351. Miscible with ether, acetone, ethanol, benzene, CCl4, hexane. Corrosive. Strong, non-oxidizing acid. pka 0.3. LD50 i.v. in mice: 1200 mg/kg (Airaksinen, Tammisto).

Use

In organic synthesis; dissolves protein when mixed with liquid SO2.