Step into a chemistry lab and you start picking up names like 1-Tert-Butyloxycarbonyl-4,4-Difluoropiperidine. On the surface, this mouthful describes a piperidine ring—the kind chemists run into a lot—with a tert-butyloxycarbonyl (commonly called Boc) group hanging onto the nitrogen, and two fluorine atoms clinging to the fourth carbon. This arrangement isn’t random. The Boc group provides solid protection during all sorts of syntheses, particularly when adjusting, masking, or revealing key spots on a molecule becomes necessary. Those two fluorines at the number four position do more than tweak the name; they dial up chemical stability and shift basicity, which plenty of pharma researchers have learned to exploit.
Look at 1-Tert-Butyloxycarbonyl-4,4-Difluoropiperidine under a chemist’s lens and out comes a molecular structure showing a six-membered piperidine ring, adjusted with two fluorine atoms fixed at the fourth carbon. The nitrogen gets a Boc group—spelled out as C9H16F2NO2 for anyone counting atoms. This structure puts out a molar mass sitting close to 225.23 g/mol. By adding fluorines, the molecule resists simple degradation, and its melting point usually hovers in the upper solid range, sometimes bumping above normal ambient room temperature.
Take a good look at the actual material. Most commonly, it appears as a white to off-white powder, but in more refined samples, it forms slightly crystalline flakes or even pearls. Under the light, you won’t mistake it for anything glossy or glassy—this is more the matte, dusty kind of powder. Density ranges don’t excite anyone: it measures in the 1.2–1.3 g/cm³ window, pretty much what you’d expect from its collection of carbons, fluorines, and a Boc group jostling for space. Try dissolving it and you notice good solubility in common lab solvents like dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, or even a splash of acetonitrile. For folks handling the pure solid, it shows up dry and clumpy right from a tightly closed drum or an amber glass bottle.
This molecule sees its day in synthetic organic chemistry, standing in as a “raw material” during the piecing together of advanced drug molecules—especially those designed for the world of medicinal chemistry. The Boc group lets scientists block and unblock the nitrogen like a switch, steering synthesis in different directions without letting side reactions trash their progress. Add in those two fluorines, and now you have an intermediate primed for developing fluorinated drug candidates, agricultural compounds, and advanced materials. The pharmaceutical sector hunts for compounds like this to explore new anti-infective or neuroactive possibilities without risking too much instability. Chemists looking for reliable performance under tough reaction conditions often reach for something with a profile like this, using it to build complexity before stripping back the Boc and adjusting the piperidine.
Breaking down its technical specs, the CAS number helps: 1616359-62-4 tracks it through catalogs, and customs operations worldwide settle on an HS Code of 2933399090 for shipment. Standards for quality focus on purity—reagents usually come in at 98% or higher levels, sometimes noted as HPLC purity. Water content barely registers (less than 0.5%) if the manufacturer has good controls, while melting points cluster near 65-75°C, depending on sample handling. In labs, identification picks up through standard NMR spectra: the piperidine ring, Boc carbonyl stretch, and those two unique fluorine signals—each showing up right where you would hope in a well-run instrument.
Working with 1-Tert-Butyloxycarbonyl-4,4-Difluoropiperidine means taking safety seriously. Solid flakes or powders bring minor irritation risk for eyes, skin, and (if you’re unlucky or careless) airways. The molecule doesn’t vaporize into a threat, but grinding or handling without gloves or goggles can create real problems. A chemical like this typically gets classified under GHS guidelines as a harmful solid; SDS sheets almost always recommend gloves, goggles, and a fume hood—not negotiable. Spill a little and you have to sweep it up with an inert collector since releasing dust clouds gets both labs and workers in trouble. From an environmental angle, fluorinated organics deserve respect; you don’t want to flush or ditch them down the drain. Treat it as you would other Boc-protected intermediates: controlled storage, clear labeling, careful waste handling.
Ever since fluorinated piperidines broke into the drug design scene, demand for intermediates like 1-Tert-Butyloxycarbonyl-4,4-Difluoropiperidine climbed. Access to high-quality raw materials sets the tone for a whole supply chain—an unreliable intermediate grinds research or production to a halt. Sourcing starts with reliable synthetic routes for tert-butyl dicarbonate, piperidine rings, and downstream fluorination—precision chemistry with an eye toward safety, waste, and consistency. Many companies seek vendors offering robust QC, timely delivery, and transparency about impurities or potential residuals. Any hiccups along that supply path can kneecap ambitious research efforts, so chemists end up scrutinizing batch-to-batch analysis for this sort of intermediate, chasing both quality and dependability.
Folks in the lab and industry alike have options for staying safe and efficient with 1-Tert-Butyloxycarbonyl-4,4-Difluoropiperidine. Pushing for greener fluorination methods, using closed systems for transfer, and tracking waste ensures safer workplaces and protects the environment. Researchers advocating for less hazardous substitutes or streamlining deprotection steps could cut down exposure or simplify handling. From my own experience, strong partnerships with trusted suppliers help avoid shipment or quality issues; maintaining well-ventilated workspaces and up-to-date training on handling hazardous or potentially harmful chemicals prevents small problems from turning into dangerous ones. In short, a material like this deserves both respect and close attention, not just for successful products but also for the safety of every hand involved from synthesis through shipment.
