Patent ID: 8039678

Claim:
A process for the preparation of chloromethyl 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl) ethyl ether (sevochlorane) comprising reacting hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) with a formaldehyde equivalent selected from the group consisting of paraformaldehyde and 1,3,5-trioxane, a chlorinating agent selected from the group consisting of oxalyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride and thionyl chloride; and concentrated or fuming sulfuric acid; wherein the reactants are combined in a way selected from the group consisting of a) adding the sulfuric acid to a mixture of HFIP, formaldehyde equivalent and chlorinating agent; and b) adding the chlorinating agent to a mixture of HFIP, formaldehyde equivalent and sulfuric acid; and c) adding the HFIP to a mixture of the formaldehyde equivalent, sulfuric acid and chlorinating agent, thereby generating chlorosulfonic acid in situ and chloromethylating HFIP in the same pot to form sevochlorane.