Abstract: Bromine is produced by reacting chlorine and ethylene dibromide in the presence of an aluminum halide catalyst, e.g. aluminum chloride. A small amount of bromine present prior to chlorine addition shortens the induction period. Some decomposition of the organic product occurs if it is distilled in the presence of aluminum-containing residues. These residues can be removed by water wash which can be followed by drying with H.sub. 2 SO.sub. 4 . After such treatment, ethylene dichloride can be recovered by distillation without substantial decomposition.

Abstract: An improvement in the continuous process for oxidizing hydrogen chloride to chlorine with an aqueous mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids, which acids are subsequently regenerated, the improvement concerned primarily with maintaining critical water control of from 23.0 to 27.5 percent, by weight, during the oxidation reaction to form the chlorine and from 27.5 to 30.0 percent during the reaction wherein the nitric and sulfuric acids are regenerated; and with maintaining the mol ratio of HCl to HNO.sub.3 at about 2 to 1 during the oxidation reaction to form the chlorine.