Organofluorine chemistry

Organofluorine chemistry is the science that studies organofluorine compounds. These organic compounds have a chemical bond between carbon and fluorine.

The carbon–fluorine bond is the strongest single bond formed by carbon, and one of the strongest single bonds in all chemistry. Fluorocarbons, containing only carbon and fluorine, are stable and unreactive, but fluorine's electronegativity (the highest of all elements) means there is a strong inductive effect on other nearby functional groups, and many perfluorinated compounds are more reactive than fluorine-free relatives.

There are different types of organofluorine compounds. They include:

• Fluorocarbons, also called perfluorocarbons, have no atoms other than carbon and fluorine.^[1]
  • Fluoropolymers like teflon are polymers made of fluorocarbon.^[2]
• Perfluorinated compounds have atoms other than carbon or fluorine, but no chemical bonds between carbon and hydrogen.
  • Chlorofluorocarbons have only carbon, fluorine, and chlorine. These chemicals were used as refrigerants, but are now banned because they damage the ozone layer.^[3]
  • Perfluoro acids are usually stronger than corresponding organic acids. Trifluoroacetic acid and triflic acid are the perfluoro derivatives of acetic acid and methanesulfonic acid.
• Hydrofluorocarbons are made of carbon, fluorine, and hydrogen. They are in between hydrocarbons and fluorocarbons.