Typically with a spell like communal protection from energy you can touch multiple allies around you as part of casting the spell. This would have a range of touch, but it's harmless and wouldn't require an attack.
How does this interact with the Reach Metamagic? Can it still be used on multiple allies? Are ranged touch attacks required or does it change to a "close" (or higher) spell?
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[PFS Legal] Reach Spell (Metamagic)
Source Advanced Player's Guide pg. 168
Your spells go farther than normal.Benefit: You can alter a spell with a range of touch, close, or medium to increase its range to a higher range category, using the following order: touch, close, medium, and long. A reach spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level for each increase in range category. For example, a spell with a range of touch increased to long range uses up a spell slot three levels higher. Spells modified by this feat that require melee touch attacks instead require ranged touch attacks.
The bolded part complicates the problem instead of simplifying it.
The first thing is that there isn't a distinction "between spells that require melee touch attacks" and "spells that don't require it". What dictates if a spell with a range of touch requires a melee touch attack or not is if the target is willing or not. Even if the spell is beneficial, if the target doesn't want to be touched you need to make an attack roll to touch him.
We can assume that, in this instance, the spell will require an attack roll only against unwilling targets, but the bolded part brings us to the core of your question: how many people can you target at a range higher than touch?
The communal spells essentially work around the ability to hold a charge of a touch spell and the ability to touch multiple targets in one round.
You touch a target and give him X times 10 minutes (or whatever is the base amount for that spell) of the duration of the spell, while holding the remaining time, then you touch a second target and give him X times 10 minutes of the spell, and so on until you have used up all the charges of the spell.
But ranged touch spells don't allow you to hold a charge and deliver it in multiple touches (barring a specific spell text), so, by that logic, a reach version of a communal spell can target only a single target.
That is what I think is RAW.
RAI, I think it si meant to work, but that you can't use a ranged touch on more than a creature each round. You will have to hold the charge for multiple round eand deliver a single ranged touch each round.
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Typically with a spell like communal protection from energy you can touch multiple allies around you as part of casting the spell. This would have a range of touch, but it's harmless and wouldn't require an attack.
How does this interact with the Reach Metamagic? Can it still be used on multiple allies? Are ranged touch attacks required or does it change to a "close" (or higher) spell?
You can alter a spell with a range of touch, close, or medium to increase its range to a higher range category, using the following order: touch, close, medium, and long. A reach spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level for each increase in range category. For example, a spell with a range of touch increased to long range uses up a spell slot three levels higher. Spells modified by this feat that require melee touch attacks instead require ranged touch attacks.
Spells that do not have a range of touch, close, or medium do not benefit from this feat.
Communal protection from energy has a range of touch and does not require a melee touch attack. Therefore when you apply the reach metamagic feat it becomes close range (assuming a one-level bump) and does not require attack rolls.
The "melee touch attack clause" exists for spells like inflict light wounds, which normally requires a melee touch attack when used on living enemies.
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We can assume that, in this instance, the spell will require an attack roll only against unwilling targets, but the bolded part brings us to the core of your question: how many people can you target at a range higher than touch?
The communal spells essentially work around the ability to hold a charge of a touch spell and the ability to touch multiple targets in one round.
You touch a target and give him X times 10 minutes (or whatever is the base amount for that spell) of the duration of the spell, while holding the remaining time, then you touch a second target and give him X times 10 minutes of the spell, and so on until you have used up all the charges of the spell.
But ranged touch spells don't allow you to hold a charge and deliver it in multiple touches (barring a specific spell text), so, by that logic, a reach version of a communal spell can target only a single target.
That is what I think is RAW.RAI, I think it si meant to work, but that you can't use a ranged touch on more than a creature each round. You will have to hold the charge for multiple round eand deliver a single ranged touch each round.
You are making it way more confusing than has to be Diego.
When you add the Reach metamagic, communal protection from energy changes from a Range: touch spell to a Range: close spell. The only limits on number of targets in one action of a close range spell are those dictated by the individual spell. It doesn't matter that the spell "used to be" touch range. It is now close range, and close range rules are the rules that apply.
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The spell has no stipulations on the number of creatures you can touch. The limitation is dictated by the general rules about the number of creatures you can touch in one round.
There is no rule about using ranged touches on more than one creature unless the spell allows it.
The general rule about communal spells doesn't change that.
Ergo, RAW, you can't use a ranged touch spell on more than one target unless it says that you can.