A process is disclosed for making CF.sub.3CF.sub.2CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3CFCH.sub.2 and/or CF.sub.3CClCH.sub.2. The process involves reacting at least one starting material selected from the group consisting of halopropanes of the formula CX.sub.3CH.sub.2CH.sub.2X, halopropenes of the formula CX.sub.3CHCH.sub.2 and halopropenes of the formula CX.sub.2CHCH.sub.2X, wherein each X is independently F or Cl, with HF and Cl.sub.2 in a reaction zone to produce a product mixture comprising HF, HCl, CF.sub.3CF.sub.2CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3CFCH.sub.2, and CF.sub.3CClCH.sub.2; and recovering the CF.sub.3CF.sub.2CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3CFCH.sub.2 and/or CF.sub.3CClCH.sub.2 from the product mixture. Also disclosed is a process for making CF.sub.3CH.sub.2CHF.sub.2, CF.sub.3CHCHF, and/or CF.sub.3CHCHCl. This process involves reacting at least one starting material selected from the group consisting of halopropenes of the formula CX.sub.3CHCH.sub.2 and halopropenes of the formula CX.sub.2CHCH.sub.2X, wherein each X is independently F or Cl, with HF and Cl.sub.2 in a reaction zone to produce a product mixture comprising HF, HCl, CF.sub.3CH.sub.2CHF.sub.2, CF.sub.3CHCHF and CF.sub.3CHCHCl; and recovering the CF.sub.3CH.sub.2CHF.sub.2, CF.sub.3CHCHF, and/or CF.sub.3CHCHCl from the product mixture. The molar ratio of HF to the total amount of starting materials fed to the reaction zone for both of these processes is at least stoichiometric, and the molar ratio of Cl.sub.2 to total amount of starting material fed to the reaction zone for both of these processes is 2:1 or less.

A process is disclosed for making CF.sub.3CF.sub.2CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3CFCH.sub.2 and/or CF.sub.3CClCH.sub.2. The process involves reacting at least one starting material selected from the group consisting of halopropanes of the formula CX.sub.3CH.sub.2CH.sub.2X, halopropenes of the formula CX.sub.3CHCH.sub.2 and halopropenes of the formula CX.sub.2CHCH.sub.2X, wherein each X is independently F or Cl, with HF and Cl.sub.2 in a reaction zone to produce a product mixture comprising HF, HCl, CF.sub.3CF.sub.2CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3CFCH.sub.2, and CF.sub.3CClCH.sub.2; and recovering the CF.sub.3CF.sub.2CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3CFCH.sub.2 and/or CF.sub.3CClCH.sub.2 from the product mixture. Also disclosed is a process for making CF.sub.3CH.sub.2CHF.sub.2, CF.sub.3CHCHF, and/or CF.sub.3CHCHCl. This process involves reacting at least one starting material selected from the group consisting of halopropenes of the formula CX.sub.3CHCH.sub.2 and halopropenes of the formula CX.sub.2CHCH.sub.2X, wherein each X is independently F or Cl, with HF and Cl.sub.2 in a reaction zone to produce a product mixture comprising HF, HCl, CF.sub.3CH.sub.2CHF.sub.2, CF.sub.3CHCHF and CF.sub.3CHCHCl; and recovering the CF.sub.3CH.sub.2CHF.sub.2, CF.sub.3CHCHF, and/or CF.sub.3CHCHCl from the product mixture. The molar ratio of HF to the total amount of starting materials fed to the reaction zone for both of these processes is at least stoichiometric, and the molar ratio of Cl.sub.2 to total amount of starting material fed to the reaction zone for both of these processes is 2:1 or less.

The present invention provides a process for preparing 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane (245cb), the process comprising gas phase catalytic dehydrochlorination of a composition comprising 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,3-dichloropropane (243db) to produce an intermediate composition comprising 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-chloro-prop-1-ene (CF.sub.3CCICH.sub.2, 1233xf), hydrogen chloride (HCI) and, optionally, air; and gas phase catalytic fluorination with hydrogen fluoride (HF) of the intermediate composition to produce a reactor product composition comprising 245cb, HF, HCI and air; wherein the process is carried out with a co-feed of air.

The present invention provides a process for preparing 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane (245cb), the process comprising gas phase catalytic dehydrochlorination of a composition comprising 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,3-dichloropropane (243db) to produce an intermediate composition comprising 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-chloro-prop-1-ene (CF.sub.3CCICH.sub.2, 1233xf), hydrogen chloride (HCI) and, optionally, air; and gas phase catalytic fluorination with hydrogen fluoride (HF) of the intermediate composition to produce a reactor product composition comprising 245cb, HF, HCI and air; wherein the process is carried out with a co-feed of air.

The present invention provides an integrated process for preparing 2,3,3, 3-tetrafluoropropene (1234yf), the process comprising: (a) vapour phase catalytic fluorination of a first composition comprising 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-chloro-prop-1-ene (CF3CCNCH2, 1233xl) with hydrogen fluoride (HF) in a fluorination reactor to produce a fluorination product stream comprising 1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane (245cb), HF and HCI; (b) vapour phase catalytic dehydrofluorination composition comprising 245cb in a dehydrofluorination reactor to produce a dehydrofluorination product stream comprising 1234yf and HF; wherein the fluorination product stream and the dehydrofluorination product stream are combined and subjected to (c) purification to produce a composition comprising 245cb and a 1234yf product stream.

The present invention provides an integrated process for preparing 2,3,3, 3-tetrafluoropropene (1234yf), the process comprising: (a) vapour phase catalytic fluorination of a first composition comprising 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-chloro-prop-1-ene (CF3CCNCH2, 1233xl) with hydrogen fluoride (HF) in a fluorination reactor to produce a fluorination product stream comprising 1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane (245cb), HF and HCI; (b) vapour phase catalytic dehydrofluorination composition comprising 245cb in a dehydrofluorination reactor to produce a dehydrofluorination product stream comprising 1234yf and HF; wherein the fluorination product stream and the dehydrofluorination product stream are combined and subjected to (c) purification to produce a composition comprising 245cb and a 1234yf product stream.

A process for the fluorination of a chlorinated C3 alkane or alkene compound having at least one chlorine atom into a fluorinated C3 alkane or alkene compound having at least one fluorine atom includes the following steps: a) contacting, in a reactor, the chlorinated compound with hydrogen fluoride in gas phase in the presence of a fluorination catalyst to produce a fluorinated compound, and b) regenerating the fluorination catalyst used in step a). The step (b) of regenerating the fluorination catalyst comprises (c) the treatment of said fluorination catalyst with an oxidizing agent-containing gas flow to form an oxidized fluorination catalyst, and (d) the treatment of the oxidized fluorination catalyst obtained in step (c) with a gaseous mixture comprising a reducing agent and an inert gas. The catalyst regenerated in step b) is reused in step a) and the reducing agent is selected from C.sub.1-C.sub.10 hydrohalocarbons.

A process for the fluorination of a chlorinated C3 alkane or alkene compound having at least one chlorine atom into a fluorinated C3 alkane or alkene compound having at least one fluorine atom includes the following steps: a) contacting, in a reactor, the chlorinated compound with hydrogen fluoride in gas phase in the presence of a fluorination catalyst to produce a fluorinated compound, and b) regenerating the fluorination catalyst used in step a). The step (b) of regenerating the fluorination catalyst comprises (c) the treatment of said fluorination catalyst with an oxidizing agent-containing gas flow to form an oxidized fluorination catalyst, and (d) the treatment of the oxidized fluorination catalyst obtained in step (c) with a gaseous mixture comprising a reducing agent and an inert gas. The catalyst regenerated in step b) is reused in step a) and the reducing agent is selected from C.sub.1-C.sub.10 hydrohalocarbons.

A process for the fluorination of a chlorinated C3 alkane or alkene compound having at least one chlorine atom into a fluorinated C3 alkane or alkene compound having at least one fluorine atom includes the following steps: a) contacting, in a reactor, the chlorinated compound with hydrogen fluoride in gas phase in the presence of a fluorination catalyst to produce a fluorinated compound, and b) regenerating the fluorination catalyst used in step a). The step (b) of regenerating the fluorination catalyst comprises (c) the treatment of said fluorination catalyst with an oxidizing agent-containing gas flow to form an oxidized fluorination catalyst, and (d) the treatment of the oxidized fluorination catalyst obtained in step (c) with a gaseous mixture comprising a reducing agent and an inert gas. The catalyst regenerated in step b) is reused in step a) and the reducing agent is selected from C.sub.1-C.sub.10 hydrohalocarbons.

The invention relates to a new process for the manufacture of fluoroaryl compounds and derivatives thereof, in particular of fluorobenzenes and derivatives thereof, and especially wherein said manufacture relates to an environmentally friendly production of the said compounds. Thus, the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art processes, and in a surprisingly simple and beneficial manner, and as compared to the prior art processes, in particular, the invention provides a more efficient and energy saving processes, and also provides a more environmentally friendly process, for the manufacture of nuclear fluorinated aromatics, and preferably of nuclear fluorinated fluorobenzenes. Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention, an industrially beneficial process for preparing fluorobenzenes from halobenzene precursors using HF to form hydrogen halide is provided by the present invention. A beneficial and surprisingly simple use of chlorobenzene as an industrially interesting starting material in the manufacture of fluorobenzene is provided.