Abstract: An improved process for the catalytic dehydrochlorination of 3,4-dichlorobutene-1 with aqueous alkali, wherein the effluent from the dehydrochlorination reactor is separated into phases, and the organic phase is steam-stripped at low temperature (below about 80.degree. C.) to recover chloroprene product, while the steam stripper heels are returned to the dehydrochlorination reactor. A small portion of the heels are purged prior to being recycled. Most of the catalyst is recovered and returned to the reaction, but a small amount of make-up catalyst is added. Chloroprene made in this process is a valuable monomer which finds use in the manufacture of a broad line of synthetic elastomers of considerable industrial interest.

Abstract: Improvement in the catalytic dehydrohalogenation of a halogenated hydrocarbon to an ethylenically unsaturated product with aqueous alkali in a series of reactors in a cascade arrangement, wherein the fresh alkali feed is relocated from the first reactor to a reactor subsequent to the first, and partly spent alkali solution from the last reactor is recirculated to the first reactor, while the ethylenically unsaturated product is recovered from the effluent from the last reactor, and waste brine is removed from the effluent from the reactor immediately preceding that to which fresh alkali is fed. In this manner, the amount of both the alkali and the catalyst can be reduced, and the conversion is increased. Dehydrochlorination of 3,4-dichlorobutene-1 gives chloroprene, which is a valuable monomer for making synthetic elastomers.