The concerted nature of difluorocarbene formation via the decomposition of chlorodifluoroacetic acid and its derivatives is presently accepted as there is no concrete evidence for the existence of the chlorodifluoromethide ion in the literature to date. Herein is reported evidence supporting the existence of the chlorodifluoromethide ion as a reactive intermediate in the decarboxylation of methyl chlorodifluoroacetate. Independent ...