Polyether-substituted imide compounds and their use

Imide compounds containing at least one of fluoroalkyl and fluoroaryl groups, which compounds are of the general formula (I):

• ##STR6## in which R.sub.F is a linear or branched fluoroalkyl residue with 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a fluoroaryl residue with 6 to 12 carbon atoms, a mixed fluoroalkylaryl residue with 7 to 18 carbon atoms or a fluorinated mono or polyether with 2 to 18 carbon atoms,
• R is (i) a linear or branched alkyl residue with 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an aryl residue with 6 to 12 carbon atoms or a mixed alkylaryl residue with 7 to 24 carbon atoms, wherein the carbon chain may also be interrupted by oxygen, nitrogen or sulphur atoms, or (ii) a further residue R.sub.F as defined above, wherein the two R.sub.F residues may be the same or different,
• each of Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2 represent a ##STR7## m is an integer from 0 to 6, n is an integer from 0 to 6 and
• PE is a polyether chain consisting of 5 to 50 ethylene oxide units or 5 to 50 propylene oxide units or a mixture of 5 to 50 ethylene oxide and propylene oxide units and
• R.sub.H is a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl residue with 1 to 10 carbon atoms.