Example 2
A PFPE diol precursor [PFPE-2] having the following structure: HOCH2CF2O—(CF2O)n(CF2CF2O)m(CF2CF2CF2O)p(CF2CF2CF2CF2O)q—CF2CH2OH wherein n=6.27, m=8.03, and (p+q)=0.09; the number average molecular weight (Mn) of the (per)fluoropolyether chain is equal to 1540 Dalton, was used.
100 g of the PFPE-2 were mixed with 50 g of hexafluorobenzene (from Sigma-Aldrich) and 11 g of KOH powder (title 85%) was added to the liquid mixture at room temperature.
The reaction mass was kept, under stirring, at 60° C. for 6 hours.
The resulting solution was washed two times with aqueous HCl (0.1N) and dried at reduced pressure resulting 118.4 g of colourless liquid product. The 19F NMR analysis showed a total conversion (>99% by mol) of the CF2CH2OH groups to the correspondent aromatic derivative —CF2CH2OC6F5.