Electrochemical fluorination of chlorine-containing ethers

The electrochemical fluorination of chlorine-containing ethers has been studied. In general, it was found that a chlorine bonded to an a-carbon atom in the ethers was readily removed during electrochemical reaction in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, whilst a chlorine bonded to the β-carbon atom was retained to yield β-chlorinated polyfluoroethers.Through the use of this method, several new chloropolyfluoroethers, e.g. 2-chloro-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether, 2,2-dichloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl trifluoromethyl ether 2,2-dichloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether, 2,2-dichloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl chlorodifluoromethyl ether, 2-chloro-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl chlorodifluoromethyl ether and 2,2-trichloro-1,1-difluoroethyl trifluoromethyl ether, have isolated and characterized.