Rare earth(III) perfluorooctane sulfonates and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid in fluorous solvents: Novel and recyclable catalytic systems for Friedel-Crafts acylation of unactivated benzenes

Catalytic Friedel-Crafts acylation of benzene and unactivated benzenes, such as chlorobenzene and fluorobenzene was successfully accomplished using rare earth(III) perfluorooctane sulfonates (RE(OPf)3), RE = Sc, Y, La ∼ Lu) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PfOH) as catalysts in fluorous solvents.