THE ELECTROCHEMICAL FLUORINATION OF NITROGEN-CONTAINING CARBOXYLIC-ACIDS - FLUORINATION OF METHYL-ESTERS OF 3-DIALKYLAMINO PROPIONIC ACIDS

Six methyl esters of 3-dialkylamino-substituted propionic acids were subjected to electrochemical fluorination to give the corresponding perfluoroacid fluorides. The following dialkylamino substituents were investigated: diethylamino, di-n-propylamino, di-n-butylamino, pyrrolidino, morpholino and piperidino groups. These perfluoroacid fluorides, which were obtained in fair yields, are considered to be prospective key precursors for preparing soft-type (degradable) fluorochemicals. The salts show a considerable lowering of surface tension in aqueous solution. The physical properties of all the perfluoroacid fluorides obtained are reported, together with their spectroscopic data (F-19 NMR, mass and IR spectra).