A Convergent Route to Geminal Difluorosulfides and to Functionalized Difluorothiochromans, a New Family of Organofluorine Compounds

The synthesis of the novel O-ethyl-S-(4-chlorophenylthio)difluoromethyl xanthate and its radical addition to various terminal alkenes are described. The geminal difluorosulfide adducts undergo closure onto the aromatic ring by further treatment with peroxide to furnish difluorothiochromans, a new family of organofluorine compounds.