Perfluoro-1,3-dimethylcyclohexane is a

fluorocarbon Fluorocarbons are chemical compounds with carbon-fluorine bonds. Compounds that contain many C-F bonds often has distinctive properties, e.g., enhanced stability, volatility, and hydrophobicity. Fluorocarbons and their derivatives are commerci ...

liquid—a perfluorinated derivative of the

hydrocarbon In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons are generally colourless and hydrophobic, and their odors are usually weak or ex ...

1,3-dimethylcyclohexane. It is chemically and biologically inert.

Manufacture

Perfluoro-1,3-dimethylcyclohexane can be manufactured by the

Fowler process The Fowler process is an industry and laboratory route to fluorocarbons, by fluorinating hydrocarbons or their partially fluorinated derivatives in the vapor phase over cobalt(III) fluoride. Background The Manhattan Project required the producti ...

, which involves moderating the action of elemental fluorine with cobalt fluoride in the gas phase from ''meta''-xylene. This is preferred as the starting material over 1,3-dimethylcyclohexane as less fluorine is required.

Properties

Perfluoro-1,3-dimethylcyclohexane is chemically inert and thermally stable (to over 400 °C). It is a clear, colorless liquid, with a relatively high density, low viscosity and low surface tension that will rapidly evaporate. It is a relatively good solvent for gases, but a poor solvent for solids and liquids. In common with other cyclic perfluorocarbons, perfluoro-1,3-dimethylcyclohexane can be detected at extremely low concentrations, making it ideal as a tracer.

Applications

Heat transfer agent A coolant is a substance, typically liquid, that is used to reduce or regulate the temperature of a system. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, chemically inert and neither causes nor promotes corrosio ...

Dielectric fluid A liquid dielectric is a dielectric material in liquid state. Its main purpose is to prevent or rapidly quench electric discharges. Dielectric liquids are used as electrical insulators in high voltage applications, e.g. transformers, capacitors, hig ...

Perfluorocarbon tracer Perfluorocarbon tracers (PFTs) are a range of perfluorocarbons used in tracer applications. They are used by releasing the PFT at a certain point, and determining the concentration of that PFT at another set of points, allowing the flow from the ...

References

{{reflist Fluorocarbons Halogenated solvents Coolants