Study On The Synthetic Technology Of Monomer Of POF Methyl α-fluoroacrylate

Perfluorinated Plastic Optical Fibers (PPOF) have more advantages in thermal, stability, production cost, and data transmission than traditional Plastic Optical Fibers (POF) or silica fibers. Methyl α-fluoroacrylate, as one of the most important monomers to prepare POF, plays a significant role in synthesis.In this paper, the synthesis methods of methyl α-fluoroacrylate was reviewed and an improved route was designed according to the references, to optimize the original process. Several strategies including direct and indirect ways were studied. An indirect way to synthesize methyl a-fluoroacrylate was focusedly researched, such as different solvents, temperatures, feeding on the reactions.Thereinto, for Claisen condensation reaction, using methol instead of methyl turt buanol raised the yield to above 99.5%, and reduced the material cost and production risk. In hydroxymethylation reaction, aqueous formalin instead of paraform, was used in one pot, which simplified the process with lower expense. The yield was 65% over 2 steps on taking account of dimethyl oxalate. Chlorination of β-hyroxyl-α-fluoropropionate with thionyl chloride and pyridine afforded β-choro-α-fluoropropionate in a yield of 90.4%. Finally, methyl α-fluoroacrylate was synthesized by elimination of methyl β-choro-α-fluoropropionatepyrogallol with trisodium phosphate in the presence of BHT, yielding 94%. After our improvements, the total yield was 55.2%and the synthesis process of methyl α-fluoroacrylate is more suitable for industrial production with a high overall yield, stable quality, short steps, easy operations and relatively low cost.The structures of the intermediates and products were identified by series of analytical methods, such as elemental analysis, IR, NMR, MS.