| abstract |
A method for preparing fluorinated carboxylic acids and theirs salts is described comprising subjecting a fluorinated alcohol of the general formula (A): A-CH 2 —OH to at least one first and at least one second oxidizing agent to produce a highly fluorinated carboxylic acid or their salts of the general formula (B): A-COO M + , wherein M+ represents a cation and wherein A in formulas (A) and (B) is the same and A represents the residue: Rf-[0] p -CX″Y″-[0] m -CX′Y′-[0] n -CXY— wherein Rf represents a fluorinated alkyl residue which may or may not contain one or more catenary oxygen atoms, p, m and n are independently from each other either 1 or O, X, X′, X″, Y, Y′ and Y″ are independently from each other H, F, CF 3 , or C 2 F 5 with the proviso that not all of X, X′, X″, Y, Y′ and Y″ are H; or A represents the residue: R—CFX— wherein X and R are independently selected from a hydrogen, a halogen, or an alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl residue, which may or may not contain one or more fluorine atoms and which may or may not contain one or more catenary oxygen atoms; wherein said at least one first oxidizing agent is a compound that can be converted, by action of the second oxidizing agent, into a reactive species capable of oxidizing the fluorinated alcohol. |