[6] Ethylene reacts explosively with fluorine yielding a mixture of 1,2-difluoroethane and vinyl fluoride.

This cis C-H bonds and the C-F σ* interactions are significant.

[3] 1,2-Difluoroethane is primarily used in Refrigerants, 39%; foam blowing agents, 17%; solvents, 14%; fluoropolymers, 14%; sterilant gas, 2%; aerosol propellants, 2%; food freezant, 1%; other, 8%; exports, 3%.

Fluorocarbons are 4 to 5 times heavier than air, so it tends to concentrate in low-lying areas.

In addition, inhaled fluorocarbons causes the myocardium to become more sensitive to catecholamines, which results in deadly cardiac arrhythmias.

[13] When inhaled by rats, 1,2-difluoroethane is converted to fluoroacetate using cytochrome P450 and then to fluorocitrate both toxic.

100 parts per million in the atmosphere was sufficient to poison rats in 30 minutes and to kill them in four hours.

CH2FCHF + O2 → CH2FCHFO2 peroxy radical CH2FCHFO2 + NO → CH2FCHFO alkoxy radical When catalysed by chlorine atoms and oxidised by nitrogen oxides the end product is HCOF which can decompose further to HF and CO.[15] The halflife in air is between 140 and 180 days.