The present invention relates to a composition for lubricating a propulsion system of an electric or hybrid vehicle, comprising at least one base oil and at least one fire retardant corresponding to formula (I)
R.sub.F-L-R.sub.H  (I) in which R.sub.F is a perfluorinated or partially fluorinated group, R.sub.H is a hydrocarbon-based group, and L is a linker. The invention also relates to the use of at least one fire retardant of formula (I), in a composition for lubricating a propulsion system of an electric or hybrid vehicle, including at least one battery, to give it ignition-resistance properties. Finally, the invention relates to a process for cooling and fire-protecting a battery of a propulsion system of an electric or hybrid vehicle, comprising at least one step of placing at least one battery, in particular a lithium-ion or nickel-cadmium battery, in contact with a composition according to the invention.

There is provided a fluorine-containing ether compound represented by the following formula. R.sup.1—R.sup.2—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3—CH.sub.2—OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2O—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3—CH.sub.2—R.sup.4—R.sup.5 (in the formula, R.sup.3 represents a perfluoropolyether chain; R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 represent a divalent linking group having a polar group and may be the same or different from each other; R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 represent a terminal group bonded to an oxygen atom of R.sup.2 or R.sup.4 and may be the same or different from each other; and at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 is an organic group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms and at least one of hydrogens included in the organic group is substituted by a cyano group).

There is provided a fluorine-containing ether compound represented by the following formula. R.sup.1—R.sup.2—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3—CH.sub.2—OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2O—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3—CH.sub.2—R.sup.4—R.sup.5 (in the formula, R.sup.3 represents a perfluoropolyether chain; R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 represent a divalent linking group having a polar group and may be the same or different from each other; R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 represent a terminal group bonded to an oxygen atom of R.sup.2 or R.sup.4 and may be the same or different from each other; and at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 is an organic group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms and at least one of hydrogens included in the organic group is substituted by a cyano group).

A fluorine-containing ether compound represented by a formula (1) shown below.

R.sup.1—(O(CH.sub.2).sub.a).sub.b-[A]-[B]—O—CH.sub.2—R.sup.2—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3  (1)

(In the formula (1), R.sup.1 is an alkyl group which may have a substituent, or an organic group having at least one double bond or triple bond. Further, a represents an integer of 2 to 4, and b is 0 or 1. [A] is represented by a formula (2): —(OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2).sub.c— (wherein c is 1 or 2). [B] is represented by a formula (3): —(O(CH.sub.2).sub.eCH(OH)CH.sub.2).sub.d— (wherein d is 0 or 1, and e represents an integer of 2 to 4). However, the sum of c in the formula (2) and d in the formula (3) is 2. R.sup.2 is a perfluoropolyether chain. R.sup.3 is represented by a formula (4): —(OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2).sub.2—O—CH.sub.2(CH.sub.2).sub.fOH (wherein f represents an integer of 2 to 5).

A fluorine-containing ether compound represented by a formula (1) shown below.

R.sup.1—(O(CH.sub.2).sub.a).sub.b-[A]-[B]—O—CH.sub.2—R.sup.2—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3  (1)

(In the formula (1), R.sup.1 is an alkyl group which may have a substituent, or an organic group having at least one double bond or triple bond. Further, a represents an integer of 2 to 4, and b is 0 or 1. [A] is represented by a formula (2): —(OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2).sub.c— (wherein c is 1 or 2). [B] is represented by a formula (3): —(O(CH.sub.2).sub.eCH(OH)CH.sub.2).sub.d— (wherein d is 0 or 1, and e represents an integer of 2 to 4). However, the sum of c in the formula (2) and d in the formula (3) is 2. R.sup.2 is a perfluoropolyether chain. R.sup.3 is represented by a formula (4): —(OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2).sub.2—O—CH.sub.2(CH.sub.2).sub.fOH (wherein f represents an integer of 2 to 5).

An ionic liquid comprising: a cation (or conjugate acid), wherein the cation (or conjugate acid) is represented by General Formula (A) below or General Formula (B) below or General Formula (C) or General Formula (D) below or General Formula (E) below: ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.1 represents CH.sub.2CH.sub.2(CF.sub.2).sub.nCF.sub.3, where n is an integer ranging from 0 to 7, or an alkyl chain CH.sub.3, or CH.sub.2OH, or CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH; R.sub.2 represents CH.sub.2CH.sub.2(CF.sub.2).sub.nCF.sub.3, where n is an integer ranging from 0 to 7, or a hydrogen atom H, or CH.sub.2OH, or CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH; and R.sub.3 represents CH.sub.2CH.sub.2(CF.sub.2).sub.nCF.sub.3, where n is an integer ranging from 0 to 7.

An ionic liquid comprising: a cation (or conjugate acid), wherein the cation (or conjugate acid) is represented by General Formula (A) below or General Formula (B) below or General Formula (C) or General Formula (D) below or General Formula (E) below: ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.1 represents CH.sub.2CH.sub.2(CF.sub.2).sub.nCF.sub.3, where n is an integer ranging from 0 to 7, or an alkyl chain CH.sub.3, or CH.sub.2OH, or CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH; R.sub.2 represents CH.sub.2CH.sub.2(CF.sub.2).sub.nCF.sub.3, where n is an integer ranging from 0 to 7, or a hydrogen atom H, or CH.sub.2OH, or CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH; and R.sub.3 represents CH.sub.2CH.sub.2(CF.sub.2).sub.nCF.sub.3, where n is an integer ranging from 0 to 7.

A lubricant including an ionic liquid including a conjugate base and a conjugate acid, wherein the conjugate acid is represented by General Formula (A) below, and wherein a pKa of an acid that is a source of the conjugate base in acetonitrile is 10 or less,

##STR00001##

where, in General Formula (A), R is a group including a straight-chain hydrocarbon group having 6 or greater carbon atoms, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently a hydrocarbon group.

A lubricant including an ionic liquid including a conjugate base and a conjugate acid, wherein the conjugate acid is represented by General Formula (A) below, and wherein a pKa of an acid that is a source of the conjugate base in acetonitrile is 10 or less,

##STR00001##

where, in General Formula (A), R is a group including a straight-chain hydrocarbon group having 6 or greater carbon atoms, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently a hydrocarbon group.

The invention provides a fullerene compound; a lubricant that is for a magnetic recording medium and that contains the fullerene compound; and a magnetic recording medium. The fullerene compound is an ionic liquid that is represented by general formula (1) and is formed from a Bronsted acid (H.sub.n1X) and a Bronsted base ([R.sub.2R.sub.3)N—].sub.m1—R.sub.1); wherein one of the Brønsted acid and the Broønsted base contains a group having a fullerene; and the other contains a perfluoroalkyl chain. ##STR00001##