Carbonyl fluoride

Carbonyl fluoride is a chemical compound with the formula COF2. This gas, like its analog phosgene, is colourless and highly toxic. The molecule is planar with C2v symmetry. Carbonyl fluoride is a chemical compound with the formula COF2. This gas, like its analog phosgene, is colourless and highly toxic. The molecule is planar with C2v symmetry. Carbonyl fluoride is usually produced as a decomposition product of fluorinated hydrocarbons in the thermal decomposition thereof, for example from trifluoromethanol or tetrafluoromethane in the presence of water: Carbonyl fluoride can also be prepared by reaction of phosgene with hydrogen fluoride and the oxidation of carbon monoxide, although the latter tends to result in over-oxidation to carbon tetrafluoride. The oxidation of carbon monoxide with silver difluoride is convenient: Carbonyl fluoride is unstable in the presence of water, hydrolyzing to carbon dioxide and hydrogen fluoride: Carbonyl fluoride is toxic with a recommended exposure limit of 2 ppm as an 8-hour time weighted average and a 5 ppm as a short-term (15-minute average) exposure.