Abstract: A process for producing fluorinated C1 HFCs comprising fluorinating a reactive organic compound to produce a reaction product comprising at least the desired C1 HFC, unreacted reactive organic compound and a byproduct having a boiling point between the boiling point of said desired hydrofluorocarbon compound and said reactive organic compound; and removing from the reaction product at least a substantial portion of the byproduct to produce a high purity product stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improvement in a process in which chlorine and difluoromethane are present in a distillation column, for example, a fluorination reaction. By controlling the chlorine feed such that the concentration of chlorine relative to difluoromethane in the distillation column is maintained below about 22 weight percent (the flammability threshold for chlorine in a mixture of difluoromethane and chlorine), formation of a flammable difluoromethane/chlorine mixture may be minimized or avoided. The invention is particularly useful in a process for the preparation of difluoromethane wherein at least one distillation column separates difluoromethane from unreacted starting materials such as methylene chloride, hydrogen fluoride and monochloromonofluoromethane.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of one or more of CHClFCF.sub.3 (HCFC-124), CHF.sub.2 CClF.sub.2 (HCFC-124a) and CHF.sub.2 CF.sub.3 (HFC-125) by reaction of perchloroethylene with hydrogen fluoride in a single stage reaction vessel in the presence of a fluorination catalyst. These compounds are useful in a variety of industrial applications including blowing agents, refrigerants, sterilant gases and solvent applications. Distilling the reaction product produces a distillate comprising HCl, CHClFCF.sub.3, CHF.sub.2 CClF.sub.2 and CHF.sub.2 CF.sub.3 and a minor amount of HF which distillate is scrubbed to remove the acids. The bottoms product comprises perchloroethylene, hydrogen fluoride and organic by-products which is phase separated to sequester the hydrogen fluoride from the mixture of perchloroethylene and organic by-products. The hydrogen fluoride and mixture of perchloroethylene with organic by-products are then preferably re-mixed at a controlled rate and recycled to the reaction vessel.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a process for the purification of a component of a binary azeotrope in which the composition of the azeotrope changes by about 10 mole percent with pressure comprising:(a) subjecting a binary azeotrope to a distillation step in which most of one of the binary components is removed as distillate (distillate 1) with the bottoms (bottoms 1) enriched in the other component;(b) subjecting distillate 1 to at least one additional distillation step conducted at a different pressure in which most of the component recovered as bottoms 1 is removed as distillate 2 with the bottoms 2 enriched in the component enriched in distillate 1;(c) optionally repeating step (b) as many times as desired; and(d) recovering the desired purified component.The invention is particularly useful in the purification of pentafluoroethane in a pentafluoroethane/chloropentafluoroethane azeotrope.

Abstract: 2-Chloro-1,1-difluoroethylene (R-1122) is removed from 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) by contacting the R-134a in the vapor phase with chlorine in the presence of ultraviolet light providing an exposure of at least about 2 watts-hour/kg.

Abstract: Vinylidene chloride is removed from 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (HCFC-141b) by contacting the HCFC-141b in the vapor phase with chlorine in the presence of ultraviolet light providing an exposure up to about 50 watts-hour/kg.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel catalyst and process for producing various chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons said catalyst prepared by co-extruding aluminum/chromium oxide and optionally impregnating the aluminum/chromium oxide support with a metal salt. The chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons, i.e., e.g., 1,1-dichloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane, produced using the catalyst of the invention are useful in a variety of industrial applications including blowing agent, refrigerant, sterilant gas and solvent applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the purification of 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane comprising the steps of: (a) reacting anhydrous hydrogen fluoride with 1,1,1-trichloroethane or vinylidene chloride containing dichloroacetylene to form 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane; and (b) passing the 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane through activated carbon to substantially remove unsaturated impurities. In particular, the present process reduces the amounts of dichloroacetylene and vinylidene chloride in the 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane product so as to meet the current specifications set forth by the Panel for Advancement of Fluorocarbon Test.The purified 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane product is useful as a blowing agent and a solvent.

Abstract: Chromium(III) oxide and hydroxide aerogels are produced by the reaction of chromium(VI) oxide with a solvent which is reducing to chromium(VI), such as methanol, heating the solution to hypercritical conditions, and venting the solvent hypercritically. The product aerogels exhibit surface areas above 400 m.sup.2 /g, pore volumes of at least 2 cm.sup.3 /g and a substantially uniform pore size distribution. Also disclosed is a unique process which employs high pore volume, high surface area chromium(III) oxide or hydroxide as a fluorination catalyst. More particularly, reaction of C.sub.2 Cl.sub.3 F.sub.3 with HF over these catalysts produced high yields of C.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 F.sub.4 and C.sub.2 ClF.sub.5.

Abstract: Chromium(III) oxide and hydroxide aerogels are produced by the reaction of chromium(VI) oxide with a solvent which is reducing to chromium(VI), such as methanol, heating the solution to hypercritical conditions, and venting the solvent hypercritically. The product aerogels exhibit surface areas above 400 m.sup.2 /g, pore volumes of at least 2 cm.sup.3 /g and a substantially uniform pore size distribution. Also disclosed is a unique process which employs high pore volume, high surface area chromium(III) oxide or hydroxide as a fluorination catalyst. More particularly, reaction of C.sub.2 Cl.sub.3 F.sub.3 with HF over these catalysts produced high yields of C.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 F.sub.4 and C.sub.2 ClF.sub.5.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel process for producing 1,2-dichloro-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane substantially free of the 1,1-isomer. The process includes contacting, in the vapor phase, an organic feed composition containing a major amount of the 1,2-isomer and a minor amount of 1,1-isomer with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrodechlorination catalyst. The process selectively degrades the 1,1-isomer. Also provided is a process for producing high purity 1,2-isomer.

Abstract: Phenol (10) produced by the cleavage of cumene hydroperoxide is chemically treated with a base (12) such as a polyamine, is optionally then treated with an acid or acid anhydride (15) such as phthalic anhydride, is then steamed distilled (12) to remove a lites fraction as a water azeotrope (21) and the bottoms (34) of the steam distillation are vacuum distilled (35) to recover high purity phenol (36) as an overhead. The overheads (21) of the steam distillation are condensed (22) and may be phase separated (23) into an aqueous phase (25) and organic phase (24), with the aqueous phase (25) mixed (26) with an organic solvent (27) which preferentially dissolves benzofuran impurities. This mixture is phase separated into an organic solvent phase (30, 130) and a recycle aqueous phase (31). Alternatively, the entire condensed overheads (21) may be extracted (146-151 and 153) with organic solvent.