Fluorine Sources and Basic Fluorocarbon Reactions

This chapter describes fluorine ores and the basic chemistry of reactions to produce organic fluorine compounds. It discusses the narrow aspects of fluorine chemistry related to the preparation of commercial fluorinated alkanes. The chapter provides an overview of the polymerization of fluorinated oleffinic monomers. The commercial manufacture of fluorocarbons requires converting fluorine's inorganic ores to a suitable intermediate. The most frequently used agent, commercially speaking, has proven to be hydrofluoric acid (HF), far from a perfect choice. Commercial fluorocarbons are classified as aliphatic compounds which means they have saturated or unsaturated linear chemical structures. In a more general way, aliphatic fluorocarbons can be made using halogen-exchange by the reaction of HF with alkanes and chlorinated alkanes catalytically. The chapter also provides descriptions of the synthesis of commercial fluorocarbons.