Syntheses, derivatives, solubility, and interfacial properties of 2-methyl-2-polyfluoroalkenyloxymethyl-1,3-propanediols: potential building blocks for syntheses of amphiphatic macromolecules.

2-Hydroxymethyl-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (A) was reacted with (Me(3)Si)(2)NH and toluenesulfonyl chloride (TsCl) to give mainly CH(3)C(CH(2)OSiMe(3))(3) (1), and CH(3)C(CH(2)OTs)(3) (2), respectively. With allyl bromide, the products were CH(3)C(CH(2)OCH(2)CH[double bond]CH(2))(2)(CH(2)OH) (3) and CH(3)C(CH(2)OCH(2)CH[double bond]CH(2))(CH(2)OH)(2) x H(2)O (4). The reactions of 4 with perfluoroalkyl iodides (R(f)I) were catalyzed by Cu(I)Cl to form 2-methyl-2-polyfluoroalkenyloxymethyl-1,3-propanediols: (R(f)CH=CHCH(2)OCH(2))C(Me)(CH(2)OH)(2) [R(f) = C(4)F(9) (5), C(8)F(17) (6), and (CF(2)CF(2))(4)OCF(CF(3))(2) (7)]. Reduction of 5 and 6 with hydrogen gave two new 2-methyl-2-polyfluoroalkyloxymethyl-1,3-propanediols, 8 and 9. The sodium salt of 9 was reacted with allyl bromide or acetyl chloride to form (C(8)F(17)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OCH(2))C(Me)(CH(2)OX)(CH(2)OH)(2) [where X = CH(2)CH=CH(2) (10) or C(O)CH(3) (12)] and (C(8)F(17)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OCH(2))C(Me)(CH(2)OX)(2) [where X = CH(2)CH[double bond]CH(2) (11) or C(O)CH(3) (13)]. Reaction of tolenesulfonyl chloride with 7 gave the monotosylate, 14, as the sole product. With 4-trifluoromethylbenzyl bromide, the sodium salt of 4 gave (4-CF(3)C(6)H(4)CH(2)OCH(2))C(Me)(CH(2)CH[double bond]CH(2))(CH(2)OH) x H(2)O (15). The compounds were characterized by NMR ((1)H, (13)C, (19)F, (29)Si), GC-MS, and high-resolution MS or elemental analyses. UV evidence was obtained for partitioning of 9, 12, 14, and 15 between perfluorodecalin and n-octanol. The test compounds acted as surfactants by facilitating the solubility of phenol and Si(CH[double bond]CH(2))(4) in perfluorodecalin. The single-crystal X-ray structure of 8 was also obtained. It crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, and unit cell dimensions were a = 24.966(2) A (alpha = 90), b = 6.1371(6) A (beta = 100.730(2)), and c = 10.5669(10) A (gamma = 90).