Methods and compounds for making coatings, waveguides and other optical devices

Abstract

A compound of the general formula R 1 MR 4 R 5 R 6 is provided where R 1 is a partially or fully fluorinated aryl, alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group, wherein M is selected from group 14 of the periodic table, wherein R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are independently an alkoxy group OR 3 or a halogen group X—except, a) where R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are each ethoxy, M is Si and R 1 is perfluorinated phenyl or perfluorinated vinyl; b) where R 4 is ethoxy, R 5 and R 6 are chlorine, M is Si, and R 1 is perfluorinated phenyl; or c) where R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are chlorine, M is Si, and R 1 is perfluorinated phenyl, perfluorinated methyl or perfluorinated vinyl. This compound formed can be further reacted to attach an additional organic R group, and/or hydrolyzed, alone or with one or more similar compounds, to form a material having a molecular weight of from 500 to 10,000, which material can be deposited on various substrates as a coating or deposited and patterned for a waveguide or other optical device components. Methods for making compounds of the general formula R 1 MR 4 R 5 R 6 are also disclosed.

In the claims:  
     
         1 . A compound of the general formula R′MR 4 R 5 R 6  where R 1  is an aryl, alkyl, alkenyl, epoxy or alkynyl group, and where R 1  is fully or partially fluorinated, wherein M is selected from group 14 of the periodic table, wherein R 4 , R 5  and R 6  are independently an alkoxy group, OR 3 , or a halogen group X, except, 
 a) where R 4 , R 5  and R 6  are each ethoxy, M is Si and R 1  is perfluorinated phenyl or perfluorinated vinyl;  
 b) where R 4  is ethoxy, R 5  and R 6  are chlorine, M is Si, and R 1  is perfluorinated phenyl; or  
 c) where R 4 , R 5  and R 6  are chlorine, M is Si, and R 1  is perfluorinated phenyl, perfluorinated methyl or perfluorinated vinyl.  
 
     
     
         2 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein X is Br or Cl.  
     
     
         3 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is fully fluorinated.  
     
     
         4 . The compound of  claim 3 , wherein R1 is an alkenyl or alkynyl group.  
     
     
         5 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 14 carbons, vinyl or allyl group.  
     
     
         6 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is an alkenyl group.  
     
     
         7 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is a fully fluorinated alkenyl group.  
     
     
         8 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is an aryl group having one or more rings, or an alkyl group having from 1 to 14 carbons.  
     
     
         9 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is an alkynyl group.  
     
     
         10 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R4 is a halogen X and R5 and R6 are independently alkoxy groups.  
     
     
         11 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R4 is an alkoxy group and R5 and R6 are independently halogen groups.  
     
     
         12 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is a fully or partially fluorinated phenyl group substituted with fully or partially fluorinated methyl, vinyl or ethyl groups.  
     
     
         13 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein OR3 is C1-C4 alkoxy.  
     
     
         14 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein M is Si, Ge, Al or Sn.  
     
     
         15 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein X is Cl.  
     
     
         16 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein X is Br.  
     
     
         17 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R4, R5 and R6 are each a halogen X.  
     
     
         18 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R4, R5 and R6 are each an alkoxy group OR3.  
     
     
         19 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is a C2+straight chain or C3+branched chain.  
     
     
         20 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is a perfluorinated organic group having an unsaturated double bond.  
     
     
         21 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is an epoxy group.  
     
     
         22 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 an acrylate group.  
     
     
         23 . The compound of  claim 22 , wherein M is Si or Ge.  
     
     
         24 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is vinyl.  
     
     
         25 . The compound of  claim 24 , wherein R1 is fully fluorinated vinyl.  
     
     
         26 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R4, R5 and R6 are each methoxy or propoxy, M is Si and R1 is perfluorinated phenyl or perfluorinated vinyl.  
     
     
         27 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R4 is methoxy or propoxy, R5 and R6 are Cl, M is Si and R1 is perfluorinated phenyl.  
     
     
         28 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R4, R5 and R6 are Cl, M is Si, and R1 is perfluorinated substituted phenyl or perfluorinated alkyl having from 2 to 8 carbons.  
     
     
         29 . The compound of  claim 28 , wherein R1 is perfluorinated ethyl or propyl.  
     
     
         30 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein OR3 is methoxy or ethoxy.  
     
     
         31 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein OR3 is ethoxy.  
     
     
         32 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is a fully or partially fluorinated single ring or polycyclic aromatic substituent.  
     
     
         33 . The compound of  claim 32 , wherein either R1 has one or two rings.  
     
     
         34 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein M is Si.  
     
     
         35 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is methyl.  
     
     
         36 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is ethyl.  
     
     
         37 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is propyl.  
     
     
         38 . A method for making the compound R 1 MR 4 R 5 R 6  of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing a compound MOR3 q X 4−q  where M is an element selected from group 14 of the periodic table, OR3 is an alkoxy group, X is a halogen and q is 3 or 4;    reacting the compound MOR3 q X 4−q  with either a) Mg and R1X2 where X2 is Cl, Br or I and R1 is an alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or alkynyl group, and q=4, or b) with R1M1 where R1 is an alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or alkynyl group and wherein R1 is fully or partially fluorinated and M1 is an element from group 1 of the periodic table, and q=3 or 4;    so as to form R1MOR3 3 , and wherein if R4, R5 or R6 is a halogen, further reacting R1MOR3 3  with a halogen or halogen compound so as to form R 1 MR 4 R 5 R 6 .    
     
     
         39 . A method for using the compound of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing the compound of  claim 1;     hydrolyzing the compound of  claim 1  in the presence of H2O or D2O with another compound having the formula R 2 MR 4 R 5 R 6 ;    so as to form a compound with an -M-O-M-O- backbone with at least R1 and R2 groups bound thereto and having a molecular weight of from 500 to 10,000.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the compound has a molecular weight of from 1500 to 5000.