METHOD FOR PRODUCING FLUOROPOLYETHER-GROUP-CONTAINING COMPOUND

1 . A method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound, comprising reacting a fluoropolyether group-containing compound (A) represented by the following formula:

X 11 —(R 11 ) n11 —R F1 —X 12   (1)

wherein

X 11 and X 12 are each independently a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, an iodine atom, or a hydrogen atom, provided that at least one of X 11 and X 12 is a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, or an iodine atom;

R 11 is a C 1-16 alkylene group optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms;

n11 is 0 or 1; and

R F1 is a group represented by the following formula:

—(OC 6 F 12 ) a1 —(OC 5 F 10 ) b1 —(OC 4 F 8 ) c1 —(OC 3 R Fa 6 ) d1 —(OC 2 F 4 ) e1 —(OCF 2 ) f1 —;

each of the repeating units is linear;

a1, b1, c1, d1, e1, and f1 are each independently an integer of 0 to 200, the sum of a1, b1, c1, d1, e1, and f1 is 1 or more, and the occurrence order of the respective repeating units enclosed in parentheses provided with a1, b1, c1, d1, e1, or f1 is not limited in the formula; and

R Fa is each independently at each occurrence a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or a chlorine atom, in the presence of a metal catalyst to form a fluoropolyether group-containing compound (B) containing two or more moieties derived from the fluoropolyether group-containing compound (A).

2 . The method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 1 , wherein the metal catalyst contains at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Zn, Cd, Hg, and Mg.

3 . The method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 1 , wherein the metal catalyst contains at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, and Ag.

4 . The method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 1 , wherein the formula (1) is represented by the following formula (1a) or (1b):

X 11 —(R 11 ) n11 —R F1 —X 12   (1a)

where

X 11 is a fluorine atom or a hydrogen atom;

X 12 is a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, or an iodine atom;

R 11 is a C 1-16 alkylene group optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms;

n11 is 0 or 1; and

R F1 is the same as defined in claim 1 , or

X 11 —(R 11 ) n11 —R F1 —X 12   (1b)

where

X 11 and X 12 are each independently a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, or an iodine atom;

R 11 is a C 1-6 alkylene group optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms;

n11 is each independently 0 or 1; and

R F1 is the same as defined in claim 1 .

5 . The method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 1 , wherein R Fa is a fluorine atom.

6 . The method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 1 , wherein R F1 is each independently at each occurrence represented by the following formula (f1), (f2), (f3), (f4), or (f5):

—(OC 3 F 6 ) d1 —(OC 2 F 4 ) e1 —  (f1)

where d1 is an integer of 1 to 200 and e1 is 1;

—(OC 4 F 8 ) c1 —(OC 3 F 6 ) d1 —(OC 2 F 4 ) e1 —(OCF 2 ) f1 —  (f2)

where c1 and d1 are each independently an integer of 0 or more and 30 or less, and e1 and f1 are each independently an integer of 1 or more and 200 or less,

the sum of c1, d1, e1, and f1 is 2 or more, and

the occurrence order of the respective repeating units enclosed in parentheses provided with a subscript c1, d1, e1, or f1 is not limited in the formula;

—(R 6 -R 7 ) g1 —  (f3)

where R 6 is OCF 2 or OC 2 F 4 ,

R 7 is a group selected from OC 2 F 4 , OC 3 F 6 , OC 4 F 8 , OC 5 F 10 , and OC 6 F 12 , or a combination of two or three groups independently selected from these groups, and

g1 is an integer of 2 to 100;

—(OC 6 F 12 ) a1 —(OC 5 F 10 ) b1 —(OC 4 F 8 ) c1 —(OC 3 F 6 ) d1 —(OC 2 F 4 ) e1 —(OCF 2 ) f1 —  (f4)

where e1 is an integer of 1 or more and 200 or less, a1, b1, c1, d1, and f1 are each independently an integer of 0 or more and 200 or less, the sum of a1, b1, c1, d1, e1, and f1 is at least 1, and the occurrence order of the respective repeating units enclosed in parentheses provided with a1, b1, c1, d1, e1, or f1 is not limited in the formula; or

—(OC 6 F 12 ) a1 —(OC 5 F 10 ) b1 —(OC 4 F 8 ) c1 —(OC 3 F 6 ) d1 —(OC 2 F 4 ) e1 —(OCF 2 ) f1 —  (f5)

where f1 is an integer of 1 or more and 200 or less, a1, b1, c1, d1, and e1 are each independently an integer of 0 or more and 200 or less, the sum of a1, b1, c1, d1, e1, and f1 is at least 1, and the occurrence order of the respective repeating units enclosed in parentheses provided with a1, b1, c1, d1, e1, or f1 is not limited in the formula.

7 . The method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 1 , wherein n11 is 1.

8 . The method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 1 , wherein the method is carried out in a solvent.

9 . The method for producing a fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 8 , wherein the solvent is a fluorinated solvent and/or a non-fluorinated solvent.

10 . A fluoropolyether group-containing compound represented by the following formula:

X 21 —(R 21 ) n21 —R F2 —(O) n23 —(R 22 ) n22 —X 22   (2)

wherein

X 21 and X 22 are each independently a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, an iodine atom, or a hydrogen atom;

R 21 and R 22 are each independently a C 1-16 alkylene group optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms;

n21, n22, and n23 are each independently 0 or 1; and

R F2 is a group represented by the following formula:

—(OC 3 F 6 ) d22 —(OC 4 F 8 )—(OC 3 F 6 ) d23 —

or

—(OC 3 F 6 ) d24 —((OC 4 F 8 ) d25 —(OC 3 F 6 ) d26 ) d28 —(OC 4 F 8 ) d27 —(OC 3 F 6 ) d29 —;

in —(OC 3 F 6 ) d22 —(OC 4 F 8 )—(OC 3 F 6 ) d23 —, each of the repeating units is linear;

d22 and d23 are each independently an integer of 3 to 100; and

d24 is an integer of 3 to 100, d25 is an integer of 0 to 1, d26 is an integer of 3 to 100, d27 is an integer of 0 to 1, d28 is an integer of 1 to 30, d29 is an integer of 3 to 100, and at least one of d25 and d27 is 1.

11 . The fluoropolyether group-containing compound according to claim 10 , wherein R F2 is a group represented by the following formula:

—(OC 3 F 6 ) d22 —(OC 4 F 8 )—(OC 3 F 6 ) d23 —;

and

d22 and d23 are each independently an integer of 3 to 100.