Naturally Occurring Organofluorines

Abstract

Although 3700 naturally occurring organohalogens are now known to exist, only relatively few contain fluorine. The presence of several fluoroalkanes in volcanic and other geothermal emissions is well documented, although exactly how these compounds are produced remains a mystery. Also unknown is the impact that these natural fluoroalkanes have on the global atmospheric budget compared to their anthropogenic counterparts, since the concentrations of the natural compounds vary widely depending on the source. The remarkable ability of a few plants to sequester and convert fluoride into the highly toxic fluoroacetate and other fluorocarboxylic acids is well recognized, and the mechanisms for their formation are becoming understood.

This chapter is dedicated to the memory of Professor Richard E. Stoiber, 1911-2001, a Dartmouth College colleague and volcanologist who first discovered organic fluorine compounds in volcanic gases.