Patent ID: 7429671

Claim:
A process for fluorination of borohydride salts comprising: providing a reaction medium comprising HF and at least one superacid additive; providing a borohydride salt compound to the reaction medium having the following formula: M a [R b Z c B d H e F y ] k wherein M is a cation having a valence from 1 to 4; R is selected from the group consisting of a halogen group, hydroxyl group, amino group, nitro group, alkyl group, alkoxy group, perfluoroalkoxy group, phenyl group and combinations thereof; Z is selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, N, P, As, Sb, Bi and combinations thereof; B is boron; H is hydrogen; F is fluorine; a is 1 or 2; b is an integer from 0 to 11, c is an integer from 0 to 1; d is an integer from 5 to 12; e is an integer from 1 to 12; and y is an integer from 0 to 11; k is 1, 2, or 3; and reacting the borohydride salt with the reaction medium under conditions for formation of a fluorinated borohydride salt having the formula: M a [R b Z c B d H e−n F y+n ] k wherein n is an integer from 1 to e and y+n is greater than or equal to 5.