Fluorine-Containing Ether Compounds Without CF3 or CF2 Groups

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fluorine-containing ethers are limited to structures with at least one group bonded to oxygen containing either a CF3- (trifluoromethyl group) or a unit represented by —CF2— (difluoromethylene group).

Innovation Solution

Development of a fluorine-containing ether compound represented by the general formula R1—R2—O—R3—R4, where R1 is —CH3, —CH2F, —CHF2, or —CH2I; R2 is a fluorinated alkylene group with specific units; R3 is a single bond or fluorinated alkylene group; and R4 is —CH3 or —CH2F, without CF3- or —CF2— groups.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If fluorine-containing ethers are limited to structures with CF3- or —CF2— groups, then existing chemical knowledge and synthesis methods are maintained, but structural diversity and application versatility are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural diversityVSAvoidsynthesis method complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental structural parameters of fluorine-containing ethers by eliminating the requirement for CF3- or —CF2— groups. This parameter change enables the development of new ether compounds with different molecular structures (e.g., using —CHF— groups instead), thereby achieving improved structural diversity and application versatility without significantly complicating synthesis methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional fluorine-containing ethers with CF3- or —CF2— groups are used, then synthesis procedures are well-established, but the compounds lack structural variety for specialized applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication rangeVSAvoidnumber of known compounds
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of expanding the number of known compounds by adding more CF3- or —CF2— group variations, the patent inverts the approach by removing these conventional groups entirely. This inversion leads to the discovery of new ether compounds with fundamentally different structures (using —CHF— groups), which opens up new application ranges while actually reducing the quantity of known compound types to a manageable set with broader utility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS20250230117A1Fluorine-containing ether compound and method for producing the same
Publication Date: 2025.07.17 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD

AI summary

Provided is a fluorine-containing ether compound represented by general formula: R1—R2—O—R3—R4 wherein R1 is —CH3, —CH2F, —CHF2, —CH2I, or —CHFI; R2 is a fluorinated alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms consisting of unit represented by —CHF—, a fluorinated alkylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms consisting of unit represented by —CHF— and unit represented by —CH2—, or a fluorine-containing alkylene group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms consisting of unit represented by —CFH—, unit represented by —CH2—, and unit represented by —CHI—; R3 is single bond, a non-fluorinated alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or a fluorinated alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and R4 is —CH3, —CH2F, or —CHF2.