Patent ID: 8907125

Claim:
A process comprising: a) providing a perfluorovinylether sulfonyl halide represented by the following formula (I): CF 2 ═CF—O—R—CFX—SO 2 —Y wherein Y is Cl or F, X is F or a linear or branched perfluorinated alkyl group, and R is a linear or branched perfluorinated linking group, which may be saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted; and b) reducing the perfluorovinylether sulfonyl halide with a reducing agent in an organic protic solvent to provide a perfluorovinylether sulfinate, wherein the reducing agent is represented by one of formula (II) and formula (III), wherein formula (II) is: MBH n (R′) 4-n wherein n is 1, 2, 3, or 4, M is an alkali metal, and R′ is R″, OR″, OH, or OC(O)R″, wherein R″ is a C1 to C6 linear or branched alkyl group; and or formula (III) is: Al x (B y H z ) w wherein x is 0 or 1, y is 1 or 2, z is 3, 4, 5, or 6, and w is 1, 2, or 3.