Abstract: There is described a process for the extraction of at least one relatively polar component from a material which may be naturally occuring or a synthetic mixture, the process comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the material with a solvent mixture comprising a C1 to C4 fluorinated hydrocarbon, especially 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and a co-solvent having a dielectric constant (at 20° C.) of at least 5; and (b) separating the charged solvent from said material, thereby to isolate said material.

Abstract: A material contaminated with a solvent is treated with a hydrofluorocarbon to remove the contaminant. The hydrofluorocarbon can be tetrafluoroethane.

Abstract: There is described a process for the extraction of at least one relatively polar component from a material which may be naturally occuring or a synthetic mixture, the process comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the material with a solvent mixture comprising a C1 to C4 fluorinated hydrocarbon, especially 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and a co-solvent having a dielectric constant (at 20° C.) of at least 5; and (b) separating the charged solvent from said material, thereby to isolate said material.

Abstract: There is described a process for the extraction of a least one relatively polar component form a material which may be naturally occurring or a synthetic mixture, the process comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the material with a solvent mixture comprising C1 to C4 fluorinated hydrocarbon, especially 1,1,1,2-tetrafluorethan and a co-solvent having a dielectric constant (at 20° C.) of at least 6 so as to charge the solvent mixture wherein the co-solvent is selected from the group consisting of amides, sulfoxides, alcohols, ketones, organic acid, carboxylic acid derivatives, cyanide derivatives, ammonia sulfur containing molecules, inorganic acids and nitro derivatives and separating the charged solve mixture from the material to isolate the polar component.

Abstract: A first compound is converted to a second compound enzymatically in a solvent mixture containing water and a fluorinated, non-chlorinated alkane, alkene, or alkyne having up to 4 carbon atoms. Lactams, for example 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA), may be prepared by enzymatic conversion of a first compound, for example penicillin-G, in a solvent mixture comprising water and a non-aqueous organic solvent, for example 1,1,1, 2-tetrafluoroethane. The 6-APA can be caused to precipitate, isolated by filtration and optionally derivatized to produce a desired compound. A by-product of the enzymatic conversion, for example phenylacetic acid, can be isolated by solvent extraction, suitably using a solvent which also comprises 1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane.

Abstract: An improved process for extracting an organic component, including fragrant, flavorsome or pharmacologically active components, from an organic material of natural origin using tetrafluoroethane in the liquid phase as the solvent. The process essentially includes contacting the organic material with the tetrafluoroethane in its liquid phase, charging thereby the tetrafluoroethane with the organic component, collecting the mixture thereof, and removing the tetrafluoroethane therefrom so as to isolate the organic component. The process allows the more volatile components of plant derived materials, frequently lost by conventional methods of extraction, also to be extracted. The extracted components, as a result, bear a greater similarity to, and possess a larger number of the characteristics of the original material than conventionally obtained extracts.