Abstract: This invention is a process for producing vinyl chloride from an ethylene-containing feed, oxygen, and a chlorine source in the presence of a catalyst. The process permits direct production of vinyl chloride in a single reactor system, and further permits ethane to be used as the C2 hydrocarbon feed with recycle of ethylene from the product stream to constitute the ethylene specified for the feed. This invention in another aspect concerns also a composition of matter, and a method for making the composition, wherein the composition is useful as a catalyst for the vinyl chloride process. The composition comprises a rare earth-containing material, with the proviso that the catalyst prepared therefrom is substantially free of iron and copper and with the further proviso that when cerium is present the catalyst further comprises at least one more rare earth element other than cerium.

Abstract: The preparation of vinyl halide monomer, and further to polyvinyl halide, starting from C1 compounds, involving conversion of methane or methanol to methyl halide; condensation of methyl halide to ethylene and co-product hydrogen halide; oxidative halogenation of ethylene to vinyl halide monomer; separation of vinyl halide monomer from any methyl halide present in the vinyl halide monomer stream; optional recycling of the methyl halide recovered to the condensation step; and recovery and optional recycling of the co-product hydrogen halide. Optionally, the vinyl halide monomer may be polymerized to polyvinyl halide to facilitate separation of the monomer from methyl halide. Methyl halide may be obtained via oxidative halogenation of methane in the presence of a rare earth halide or rare earth oxyhalide catalyst. Optionally, the methyl halide may be converted to methanol.