Tosoh F-Tech, Inc.

Kazunori Nukui

Shoji Arai

Hideyuki Mimura

Norihisa Kondo

Kosuke Kawada

Noritaka Nagasaki

Tsuyoshi Kawamura

A method for producing 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol in which a &#x3b3;-hydroxybutyric acid salt is reacted with 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethane to generate 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol is provided. This method leads to increased yields of 2,2,2 -trifluoroethanol, facilitates the separation of salt byproducts and allows the recycling of an aprotic polar solvent. The present invention concerns a method for producing 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol in which a &#x3b3;-hydroxybutyric acid salt is reacted with 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethane in an aprotic polar solvent to generate 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol. This method is characterized in that the &#x3b3;-hydroxybutyric acid salt used contains no more than 6 wt % of 4,4'-oxybis(butyric acid).

Method for producing 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol

A process for producing a 2-fluoro-3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester by fluorinating 3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester with a fluorine gas is provided. The process is characterized in that the concentration of 3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester in the reaction mixture for fluorination is maintained at 3 wt % or higher. Also provided is a process for purifying 2-fluoro-3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester characterized in that 2-fluoro-3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester is produced at high yield and with less impurities by washing fluorinated 3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester with 3 or more times as much water as the amount of reaction mixture. According to the processes of the present invention, not only is the generation of unwanted by-products minimized, but fluorinated 3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester can be purified in an efficient manner. Thus, the present invention permits efficient production of considerably pure 2-fluoro-3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester, a useful intermediate material in the production of various medical and agricultural agents.

Process for preparing 2-fluoro-3-oxoalkylcarboxylic acid ester

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Yamaguchi, Japan

Kazunori Nukui