Teflonates — an anion class name derived from the trade name Teflon

The word teflonate is derived from the brand name Teflon, commonly used to denote the perfluorinated polymer poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). Chemically, teflonates are not derived from Teflon. The word teflonate applies to any member of the following anion class: [Al(OR_F)₄]^–. The anions of this class are aluminates(-1) (also: alumanuides), consisting of a central aluminum atom that is tetrasubstituted by perfluoroalkoxy (OR_F) groups. The molecular surface (molecular envelope) of a teflonate anion is dominated by fluorine atoms adjacent to carbon atoms (C-F bonds), similar to the surface of a Teflon macromolecule. This explains, why some chemists like to assign a name similarity between Teflon and [Al(OR_F)₄]^– (tetra(perfluoroalkoxy)aluminates(-1) or tetra(perfluoroalkoxy)alumanuides).

Interest
electrochemistry, charge distribution, cation-anion interaction, ionic compounds, ionic liquid design

Teflonate English-German dictionary
English: Singular: teflonate, Plural: teflonates
German (including definite grammatical article): Singular: das Teflonat (neutral), Plural: die Teflonate

Further reading (in German)
Nils Trapp und Ingo Krossing: Exotisches und Nützliches • Mit schwach koordinierenden Anionen lassen sich viele instabile exotische Kationen stabilisieren. Dennoch sind diese Anionen nicht nur eine Laborspielerei – Anwendungen finden sich in der Katalyse, in der Polymerisation oder als Elekrolyte. Nachrichten aus der Chemie Juni 2009, 57, 632-637.