Abstract: A method of the present invention, for producing an iodizing agent, includes the step of electrolyzing iodine molecules in a solution by using an acid as a supporting electrolyte. This realizes (i) a method of producing an iodine cation suitable for use as an iodizing agent that does not require a sophisticated separation operation after iodizing reaction is completed, and (ii) an electrolyte used in the method. Further, a method of the present invention, for producing an aromatic iodine compound, includes the step of causing an iodizing agent, and an aromatic compound whose nucleus has one or more substituent groups and two or more hydrogen atoms, to react with each other under the presence of a certain ether compound. This realizes such a method of producing an aromatic iodine compound that position selectivity in iodizing reaction of an aromatic compound is improved.

Abstract: A fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid represented by formula (1), wherein n represents an integer of 1-4, and the two carboxylic groups are not adjacent to each other on the aromatic ring. It is possible to obtain a linear polymer compound by reacting the fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid with a comonomer (e.g., diaminodiol). By thermal cyclization, this linear polymer compound can be converted into another polymer compound having superior characteristics.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing 2-bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol, which comprises reducing a bromodifluoroacetic acid derivative represented by the formula [1] by using an ate hydride complex as a reducing agent. 2-Bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol thus produced can be used as the starting material to carry out the esterification step, the sulfination step and the oxidation step in this order, thereby producing a 2-alkylcarbonyloxy-1,1-difluoroethanesulfonic acid salt, wherein A represents a substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclic alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, a heteroaryloxy group having 4 to 15 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom.

Abstract: A fluorine-containing polymer of the present invention contains a repeating unit (a) of the general formula (2) and has a mass-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 1,000,000. This polymer is suitably used in a resist composition for pattern formation by high energy ray radiation of 300 nm or less wavelength or electron beam radiation or a top coat composition for liquid immersion lithography and is characterized as having high water repellency, notably high receding contact angle. In the formula, R1 represents a polymerizable double bond-containing group; R2 represents a fluorine atom or a fluorine-containing alkyl group; R8 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or the like; and W1 represents a single bond, a substituted or unsubstituted methylene group or the like.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing 2-bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol, which comprises reducing a bromodifluoroacetic acid derivative represented by the formula [1] by using an ate hydride complex as a reducing agent. 2-Bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol thus produced can be used as the starting material to carry out the esterification step, the sulfination step and the oxidation step in this order, thereby producing a 2-alkylcarbonyloxy-1,1-difluoroethanesulfonic acid salt, wherein A represents a substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclic alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, a heteroaryloxy group having 4 to 15 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom.

Abstract: An ammonium hydroxyfluoroalkanesulfinate is obtained by using an organic base while sulfinating a bromofluoroalcohol with a sulfinating agent. An ammonium hydroxyfluoroalkanesulfonate is obtained by oxidizing the ammonium hydroxyfluoroalkanesulfinate. An onium fluoroalkanesulfonate is obtained by converting the ammonium hydroxyfluoroalkanesulfonate into an onium salt through esterification. This onium fluoroalkanesulfonate is useful as a photoacid generator in chemically amplified resists and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing 2-bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol, which comprises reducing a bromodifluoroacetic acid derivative represented by the formula [1] by using an ate hydride complex as a reducing agent. 2-Bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol thus produced can be used as the starting material to carry out the esterification step, the sulfination step and the oxidation step in this order, thereby producing a 2-alkylcarbonyloxy-1,1-difluoroethanesulfonic acid salt, wherein A represents a substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclic alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, a heteroaryloxy group having 4 to 15 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom.

Abstract: There is disclosed a fluorine-containing polymer compound comprising a repeating unit (a) of the following general formula (2) and having a weight-average molecular weight of 1000 to 1000000 where R1 represents a polymerizable double bond-containing group; R2 represents a fluorine atom or a fluorine-containing alkyl group; R3 represents a hydrogen atom, an acid labile group, a cross-linking site or the other monovalent organic group; and W1 represents a linking moiety. When the fluorine-containing polymer compound is used in a resist compound for pattern formation by high energy radiation of 300 nm or less wavelength or electron beam radiation, it is possible to form a resist pattern with a good rectangular profile.

Abstract: When sulfinating a carboxylic acid bromofluoroalkyl ester by using a sulfinating agent, an organic base is used, thereby obtaining a fluoroalkanesulfinic acid ammonium salt. This is oxidized to obtain a fluoroalkanesulfonic acid ammonium salt. This is used as the raw material and is converted to an onium salt or is converted to an onium salt by going through saponification and esterification, thereby obtaining a fluoroalkanesulfonic acid onium salt. This fluoroalkanesulfonic acid onium salt is useful as a photoacid generator used for chemically amplified resist materials, etc.

Abstract: A fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid represented by formula (1), wherein n represents an integer of 1-4, and the two carboxylic groups are not adjacent to each other on the aromatic ring. It is possible to obtain a linear polymer compound by reacting the fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid with a comonomer (e.g., diaminodiol). By thermal cyclization, this linear polymer compound can be converted into another polymer compound having superior characteristics.

Abstract: In the present invention, a target alkoxycarbonylfluoroalkanesulfonic acid salt is obtained by using a halofluoroalkanoic acid ester as a starting raw material, sulfinating the halofluoroalkanoic acid ester in the presence of an amine (as a first step), and then, oxidizing the resulting sulfination product (as a second step). Further, an alkoxycarbonylfluoroalkanesulfinic acid onium salt, which is useful as a photoacid generator, is obtained by salt exchange reaction of the alkoxycarbonylfluoroalkanesulfonic acid salt.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid represented by formula (1), wherein n represents an integer of 1-4, and the two carboxylic groups are not adjacent to each other on the aromatic ring. It is possible to obtain a linear polymer compound by reacting the fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid with a comonomer (e.g., diaminodiol). By thermal cyclization, this linear polymer compound can be converted into another polymer compound having superior characteristics.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a polymerizable fluorine-containing sulfonic acid onium salt of the following general formula (2) and a resin obtained by polymerization thereof. It is possible by the use of this sulfonate resin of the present invention to provide a resist composition with high resolution, board depth of focus tolerance (DOF), small line edge roughness (LER) and high sensitivity. In the formula, Z represents a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C6 straight or branched alkylene group, or a divalent moiety in which substituted or unsubstituted C1-C6 straight or branched alkylene groups are bonded in series to a divalent group obtained by elimination of two hydrogen atoms from an alicyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon; R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a C1-C3 alkyl or fluorine-containing alkyl group; and Q+ represents a sulfonium cation or an iodonium cation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a tetracyanoborate-containing ionic compound in a milder condition more efficiently and less expensively than conventional methods, and a tetracyanoborate-containing ionic compound having a reduced content of impure components. An ionic compound of the present invention is represented by the following general formula (I), has a content of fluorine atom-containing impurities of 3 mol % or less per 100 mol % of the ionic compound, and a method for producing an ionic compound represented by the general formula (I) of the present invention comprises a step of reacting starting materials containing a cyanide and a boron compound. (In the formula, Ktm+ denotes an organic cation [Ktb]m+ or an inorganic cation [Ke]m+; and m denotes an integer of 1 to 3.

Abstract: By using an organic base when a carboxylic acid bromodifluoroethyl ester is sulfinated by using a sulfinating agent, there is obtained 2-(alkylcarbonyloxy)-1,1-difluoroethanesulfinic acid ammonium salt. By oxidizing the 2-(alkylcarbonyloxy)-1,1-difluoroethanesulfinic acid ammonium salt, there is obtained 2-(alkylcarbonyloxy)-1,1-difluoroethanesulfonic acid ammonium salt. By using the 2-(alkylcarbonyloxy)-1,1-difluoroethanesulfonic acid ammonium salt as a raw material and exchanging it into an onium salt directly or through saponification/esterification, there can be obtained a 2-alkylcarbonyloxy-1,1-difluoroethanesulfonic acid onium salt.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing 2-bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol, which comprises reducing a bromodifluoroacetic acid derivative represented by the formula [1] by using an ate hydride complex as a reducing agent. 2-Bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol thus produced can be used as the starting material to carry out the esterification step, the sulfination step and the oxidation step in this order, thereby producing a 2-alkylcarbonyloxy-1,1-difluoroethanesulfonic acid salt, wherein A represents a substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclic alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, a heteroaryloxy group having 4 to 15 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom.

Abstract: A method of the present invention, for producing an iodizing agent, includes the step of electrolyzing iodine molecules in a solution by using an acid as a supporting electrolyte. This realizes (i) a method of producing an iodine cation suitable for use as an iodizing agent that does not require a sophisticated separation operation after iodizing reaction is completed, and (ii) an electrolyte used in the method. Further, a method of the present invention, for producing an aromatic iodine compound, includes the step of causing an iodizing agent, and an aromatic compound whose nucleus has one or more substituent groups and two or more hydrogen atoms, to react with each other under the presence of a certain ether compound. This realizes such a method of producing an aromatic iodine compound that position selectivity in iodizing reaction of an aromatic compound is improved.

Abstract: A sulfonic acid onium salt represented by the following formula (1) can be used as a superior radiosensitive acid generator for resist compositions. It is possible to form a good pattern by using a resist composition containing this sulfonic acid onium salt. In formula (1), R1 represents a monovalent organic group, and Q+ represents a sulfonium cation or iodonium cation.

Abstract: There is provided a fluorine-containing diamine represented by formula (1). In this formula, R1 represents a condensed polycyclic type aromatic hydrocarbon group, and at least one —C(CF3)2OH group and at least one —NH2 group are in a relation such that they are attached to adjacent carbons of carbon atoms constituting the condensed polycyclic type aromatic hydrocarbon group. Polymer compounds derived from this fluorine-containing diamine have superior low dielectric property and low water-absorbing property, and, in addition to that, shows low thermal expansion property and high glass transition temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid represented by formula (1), wherein n represents an integer of 1-4, and the two carboxylic groups are not adjacent to each other on the aromatic ring. It is possible to obtain a linear polymer compound by reacting the fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid with a comonomer (e.g., diaminodiol). By thermal cyclization, this linear polymer compound can be converted into another polymer compound having superior characteristics.