Process for the alkoxylation of (per) fluoropolyether alcohols
AssigneeSolvay Specialty Polymers Italy S.P.A.
InventorsPier Antonio Guarda, Gianfranco Spataro
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Abstract
A convenient process for the manufacture of alkoxylated derivatives of PFPE alcohols is herein provided. The process envisages the use of a boron-based catalyst and an iodine source and is characterized in that a PFPE alkoxide is prepared separately, contacted with a boric acid triester of the same PFPE alcohol and finally submitted to alkoxylation in the presence of an iodine source. The process allows achieving an alkoxylation degree of at least 2 with high yields and under conditions that are convenient on an industrial scale.
Claims18
A process for preparing an alkoxylated derivative of a (per)fluoropolyether (PFPE) alcohol, the process comprising:
- 1) separately providing a mixture [M1], comprising a PFPE alcohol and a catalytic amount of the corresponding alkoxide;
- 2) bringing into contact mixture [M1] with a boric acid triester of the same PFPE alcohol in an amount such that the molar ratio between the PFPE alkoxide and the boric acid triester is at least 1, to obtain a mixture [M2];
- 3) contacting mixture [M2] with a catalytic amount of an iodine source to obtain a mixture [M3];
- 4) treating mixture [M3] with an alkoxylating agent to provide a mixture [M4] containing an alkoxylated derivative of the PFPE alcohol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.