Electrophilic Difluoro(phenylthio)methylation: Generation, Stability, and Reactivity of α‑Fluorocarbocations

Electrophilic difluoro(phenylthio)methylation of allylsilanes has been achieved using bromodifluoro(phenylthio)methane (PhSCF2Br) and silver hexafluoroantimonate (AgSbF6). The structural assignment and observation of α-fluorocarbocation were substantiated by NMR and theoretical calculations. Detailed mechanistic and electronic studies have provided a fundamental understanding of the reactivity and stability of the difluoro(phenylthio)methylium cation (PhSCF2+).