Abstract: A process for producing vinyl chloride monomer from ethylene and ethane having input of significant quantities of both ethane and ethylene in input streams to the affiliated reactor where hydrogen chloride in the reactor effluent is only partially recovered from the reactor effluent in the first unit operation after the ethane/ethylene-to-vinyl reaction step or stage. Steps are presented of oxydehydro-chlorination catalytic reaction of ethane, ethylene, hydrogen chloride, oxygen, and chlorine; cooling and condensing the reactor effluent stream; and separating the condensed raw product stream into vinyl chloride monomer and a reactor recycle stream.

Abstract: A process for producing vinyl chloride monomer where significant quantities of both ethane and ethylene in input streams to the affiliated reactor where hydrogen chloride in the reactor effluent is essentially fully recovered from the reactor effluent in the first unit operation after the ethane/ethylene-to-vinyl reaction step or stage. Steps are presented of oxydehydro-chlorination catalytic reaction of ethane, ethylene, hydrogen chloride, oxygen, and chlorine; quenching the reactor effluent stream to provide a raw product stream having essentially no hydrogen chloride; and separation of the raw product stream into a vinyl chloride monomer product stream and into a lights stream; and recycling the lights steam to the reactor.

Abstract: In one aspect, a process for producing vinyl chloride from ethane/ethylene involving: (a) combining ethane, ethylene, or mixtures thereof with an oxygen source and a chlorine source in a reactor containing a suitable catalyst under conditions sufficient to convert substantially all of the C2 hydrocarbon fed and to produce a product stream comprising vinyl chloride and hydrogen chloride; and (b) recycling unreacted hydrogen chloride back for use in Step (a). No C2 hydrocarbon recycle is required in this process. In another aspect, a process for producing vinyl chloride involving: (a) combining ethane, optionally ethylene, an oxygen source, and a chlorine source in a reactor containing a suitable catalyst under conditions sufficient to produce vinyl chloride and hydrogen chloride; (b) catalytically reacting said hydrogen chloride in a second reactor to provide a second reactor effluent essentially devoid of hydrogen chloride; and (c) recycling said second reactor effluent to step (a).

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for producing unsaturated compounds from chlorinated alkanes by dehydrochlorination wherein a phase transfer catalyst is used during reaction of chlorinated alkane with aqueous base. After dehydrochlorination, the products are distilled or flashed off. Then, the phase transfer catalyst is recovered and reused by extracting the catalyst from spent aqueous base with fresh chlorinated alkane and using the mixture of chlorinated alkane and catalyst from the extraction as feedstock.

Abstract: In a process for production of vinylidene chloride by dehydrohalogenation of 1,1,2-trichloroethane using a base, improved selectively for formation of vinylidene chloride is obtained by using as the base a cyclic amine having a pK.sub.a greater than about 11 as dehydrohalogenating agent.