Lability of the trifluoromethyl group of trifluoromethoxybenzenes under HF/Lewis acid conditions

Ab initio study of the mechanism of the formation of p-rosolic acid from trifluoromethoxybenzene under HF/Lewis acid conditions

“…It was previously reported that trifluoromethoxybenzene, 1, was observed to form the unexpected side product p-rosolic acid, 16, under HF/Lewis acid conditions [1]. That study found the reaction to be general for trifluoromethoxybenzenes containing electron withdrawing groups and to occur under the influence of all the common high valence metal halide catalysts (Nb, Sb, Sn, Ta, W).…”