Ether compounds

#This invention relates to the novel ethers of the formula:

#CF.sub.3 CH.sub.a X.sub.b --O--CF.sub.2 CH.sub.c F.sub.d Cl.sub.e

#wherein X is fluorine, chlorine or bromine, preferably fluorine, a is 1 or 2, b is 0 or 1, a plus b are 2, preferably both a and b being 1, c is 0 or 1, d is 0, 1 or 2, e is 0, 1 or 2, c plus d plus e are 3, preferably each of c, d, and e is 1, and a plus c are 1 or 2, preferably 2, with the proviso that when e is 1 or 2, X, if present, is fluorine or bromine, preferably fluorine. Preferably when e is 1 or 2, b is 1. These ethers which have less than 8 fluorine atoms per molecule, especially 6 or 7 fluorine atoms per molecule, can be used to produce anesthesia in anesthetic-susceptible mammals. All of the ethers of this invention are easily miscible with other organic liquids, including fats and oils, and have useful solvent properties. These ethers are useful, for example, as solvents for fluorinated olefins and other fluorinated materials such as flourowaxes. The ethers can also be used to prepare pastes and dispersions of such fluorine-containing materials useful for coatings and the like, and can be used as degreasing agents. In the latter capacity, for example, the ether compounds of this invention can be used as solvents to remove grease or other oily substances from metal surfaces that are to be painted.

#The following examples will serve further to illustrate the present invention.

#Tetrafluoroethylene (400 g.) was added as a gas at 300-500 psi to a stirred one liter autoclave containing a solution of potassium hydroxide (50 g.) in CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 O (400 cc.) and also a small amount of .alpha.-pinene (10 g.). The autoclave was heated to 40.degree. C. to initiate the reaction. The reaction then proceeded smoothly with a slight exotherm and was maintained at 35.degree.-45.degree. C. The crude product was washed with water and then fractionally distilled to obtain 350 g. of CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 OCF.sub.2 CHF.sub.2, b.p. 55.5.degree. C. at 760 mm.

#CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 OCF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 H (140 g.) was reacted with chlorine gas at a temperature of 50.degree.-60.degree. C. in a glass apparatus in the presence of incandescent light. When 0.7 mole of chlorine per mole of ether had reacted, the crude product weighed 157 g. and contained 60% of CF.sub.3 CHClOCF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 H as shown by gas chromatography. This product was separated and purified by fractional distillation and preparative vapor phase chromatography. The product analyzed as follows: