Process for preparing fluoroalkyl nitriles

1. A process for preparing a compound of the general formula (I),

in which

X 1 and X 2 are each independently fluorine, chlorine, bromine, hydrogen, C 1-12 -alkyl, C 1-12 -haloalkyl, C 5-18 -aryl, C 7-19 -alkylaryl or C 7-19 -arylalkyl,

comprising, reacting

a fluorinated carboxamide of the formula (II)

in which X 1 and X 2 are each as defined above,

in the presence of a base and a catalytic amount of a fluorinated carboxylic acid of the formula (III)

where

Y 1 and Y 2 are each independently fluorine, chlorine, bromine, hydrogen, C 1-12 -alkyl, C 1-12 -haloalkyl, C 5-18 -aryl, C 7-19 -alkylaryl or C 7-19 -arylalkyl,

with an acid halide of the formula (IV)

in which R 1 is C 1-12 -alkyl, C 3-8 -cycloalkyl, C 1-12 -haloalkyl, C 5-18 -aryl, C 7-19 -arylalkyl or C 7-19 -alkylaryl, and Hal is halogen.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein

X 1 and X 2 are each independently fluorine, chlorine, hydrogen, C 1-12 -alkyl, C 1-12 -haloalkyl or C 5-18 -aryl,

Y 1 and Y 2 are each independently hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, C 2-8 -alkyl or C 2-8 -haloalkyl,

Hal is chlorine or bromine; and

R 1 is C 2-8 -alkyl or C 5-18 -aryl.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein

X 1 and X 2 are each independently fluorine, chlorine, hydrogen or C 1-12 -haloalkyl,

Y 1 and Y 2 are each independently fluorine, chlorine, hydrogen, C 3-6 -alkyl, CF 3 or CF 2 H,

R 1 is C 3-6 -alkyl or C 6 -aryl, and

Hal is chlorine.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of trifluoroacetic acid, difluoroacetic acid, difluorochloroacetic acid, chlorofluoroacetic acid, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropionic acid, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropionic acid, 2,2-difluoropropionic acid, pentafluoropropionic acid, and 2,3,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutanecarboxylic acid.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the acid halide is selected from the group consisting of acetyl chloride, pivaloyl chloride, 2,2-dimethylbutyryl chloride, isovaleryl chloride, and benzoyl chloride.

6. The process according to claim 1 , where the molar ratio of the fluorinated carboxylic acid of the general formula (III) to the fluorinated carboxamide of the general formula (II) is 0.05 to 1.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the acid halide of the general formula (IV) to the fluorinated carboxamide of the general formula (II) is 0.5 to 5.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of pyridine, 3-picoline, 4-picoline, quinoline, quinaldine, and a halogenated pyridine.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the base to the fluorinated carboxylic acid of the general formula (III) is 0.5 to 10.