Electrochemical fluorination
The electrochemical fluorination (ECF ) of Simon JH (1941) in addition to the Fluortelomerisierung the second process for the production of perfluorinated surfactants.
By an applied voltage, it is achieved that all of the hydrogen atoms of the n- octanoic acid or the Octansulfonylfluorids be replaced by fluorine atoms. The reaction proceeds in the following manner from:
The resulting compounds Perfluoroctylcarbonylfluorid and perfluorooctylsulphonyl fluoride are important synthetic building blocks that can be derivatized according to standard procedures to perfluorinated surfactants. The respective hydrolysis leads to perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate.
Despite low yields and a large proportion of branched -products electrochemical fluorination is a convenient method of synthesis.