Difluoroacetylene


Difluoroacetylene, C2F2, is a compound of carbon and fluorine. A linear molecule, its two carbons are joined by a triple bond and have terminal fluorines: F-C≡C-F. The molecule is the perfluorocarbon analog of acetylene, C2H2. Preparation of difluoracetylene is difficult, with danger of explosions and with low yields. Nevertheless, the compound has been made, isolated, and characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy. The compound is of interest as a precursor to fluoropolymers containing double bonds, analogous to polyacetylene.