A process for preparing fluorovinylethers having general formula:
R.sub.fO--CF.dbd.CF.sub.2 (IA) wherein R.sub.f is a fluorinated or
perfluorinated alkyl or cycloalkyl substituent; comprising the following
reaction steps: 1) reaction of a hypofluorite; 2) dehalogenation or
dehydrohalogenation of the fluorohalogenethers obtained in step 1) and
obtainment of vinyl ethers; 3) fluorination with fluorine of the vinyl
ethers and obtainment of fluorohalogenethers; and 4) dehydrohalogenation
of the fluorohalogenethers and obtainment of the fluorovinylethers of
formula (IV). The compounds of formula (IA) can be used, for example, in
the preparation of various polymers, such as fluorinated elastomers and
fluorinated thermoprocessable semicrystalline polymers.