High yields of nitrene insertion into unactivated C–H bonds. First example of X-ray crystallographic and 19 F NMR analysis of the photochemically produced C–H inserted adduct

Photolysis of 4-azido-tetrafluorobenzonitrile results in the highest yield reported to date, (75–80% as estimated from 19F NMR spectroscopy) for nitrene insertion into the unactivated C–H bond of cyclohexane; the photochemical adduct is characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and the structure is confirmed by X-ray crystallography for the first time.