Ahmed Hedhli

Synthesis of Highly Fluorinated Nonionic Surfactants

Abstract F‐Alkylated thiols react with oligoethylene glycol diglycidyl ethers to give β‐hydroxylated thioethers. The amphiphilic properties of the surfactants obtained were investigated by measuring aqueous solution surface tensions.

Synthesis and Pummerer Reaction of α,ω‐Bis(Fluoroalkylsulfinylmethyl)Polyethylene Glycols

Abstract Oxydation of β‐hydroxy‐F‐alkylated sulfurs into the corresponding sulfoxides is achieved by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of titanium trichloride. The new fluorinated sulfoxides are obtained chemoselectivety and are submitted to the Pummerer reaction.

Influence of the Hydro/Fluorocarbon Chain Length on CMC and HLB of Surface-Active Nonionic Surfactants Containing Polyethylene Glycol Groups

Abstract Series of cyclic polyethylene glycol succinates based surfactants bearing a hydro- or fluorocarbon group was synthesized and characterized. Evaluation of the surface-active properties of the obtained compounds reveals, (i) the surface tension decreases gradually when is the length of the lipophilic chain increased (ii) the critical micelle concentration (CMC) increases with the number of ethylene oxide unit present in the polar head and (iii) surface tension follows the increasing pattern of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) number.

A Convenient, One-Pot Conversion of Polyethylene Glycol-Linked F-Alkyl Disulfoxides into the α,β-Unsaturated Derivatives

The synthesis of a series of α,β-unsaturated disulfoxides having two highly fluorinated chains separated by a polyoxyethylene (POE) group is described. The reaction was carried out in basic medium, and the most relevant feature of this conversion is the enhanced acidity of SO-α-hydrogens of starting materials, leading to the observed regioselectivity.