Abstract: Perchloroethylene and hydrogen chloride are made by noncatalytic thermal chlorination of hydrocarbons and/or their partially chlorinated derivatives by reacting them with chlorine in the presence of hydrogen and carbon tetrachloride as a reactive diluent, under conditions which maximize consumption of carbon tetrachloride and minimize the production of heavy ends, such as hexachlorobenzene and other tarry products.

Abstract: The production of undesirable 1,1,2-trichloroethane and unsym-tetrachloroethane during the production of perchloroethylene is eliminated or essentially eliminated by an improved oxychlorination reaction. The oxychlorination reaction is carried out in the presence of a copper chloride-alkali metal chloride catalyst mixture deposited on a microspheroidal activated alumina carrier having an average particle size of between about 40 and about 70 microns and a surface area of at least about 100 m.sup.2 /g with the copper chloride and alkali metal chloride being present on the carrier in a weight ratio of at least about 1.2 to 1. Reaction parameters, including, e.g., time, temperature and pressure, are controlled to produce a reaction product containing perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene, and the reaction product is free from 1,1,2-trichloroethane and unsym-tetrachloroethane.