The invention relates to a method for producing phosgene, comprising at least the steps of: a) bringing a gas mixture containing carbon monoxide and chlorine into contact with a catalyst, the catalyst containing at least one ionic organic compound which contains monochloride anions and, on contact with chlorine, forms an ionic organic compound containing polychloride anions; b) converting the gas mixture into phosgene on the catalyst. With the invention, phosgene can be produced using less activation energy and in high yields without the use of conventional activated carbon catalysts.

A process comprising at least the steps a) providing a reaction space containing a component including at least one polychlorine anion-containing compound, preferably at least one polychlorine anion-containing compound in the form of an ionic liquid, b) contacting carbon monoxide with said component in the reaction space and there reacting the carbon monoxide to form phosgene-containing product, c) optionally collecting the phosgene from the phosgene-containing product of step b), d) optionally reacting the phosgene from the phosgene-containing product of step b) or the collected phosgene from step c) with a phosgene-reactive component, makes it possible to prepare, in step b), a phosgene-containing product which contains less than 5.0% by weight of Cl.sub.2 base on its total weight.

A process comprising at least the steps a) providing a reaction space containing a component including at least one polychlorine anion-containing compound, preferably at least one polychlorine anion-containing compound in the form of an ionic liquid, b) contacting carbon monoxide with said component in the reaction space and there reacting the carbon monoxide to form phosgene-containing product, c) optionally collecting the phosgene from the phosgene-containing product of step b), d) optionally reacting the phosgene from the phosgene-containing product of step b) or the collected phosgene from step c) with a phosgene-reactive component, makes it possible to prepare, in step b), a phosgene-containing product which contains less than 5.0% by weight of Cl.sub.2 base on its total weight.

In a process for safe production of phosgene (COCI.sub.2) from carbon monoxide and chlorine according to the reaction scheme CO (g)+Cl.sub.2 (g)>COCI.sub.2 (g) in a plant with a capacity of phosgene below 10 t/hr, the CO is produced on site from a feed stock based mainly on CO.sub.2. The plant preferably comprises a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) stack system producing CO for use together with chlorine in the phosgene synthesis. This way of producing phosgene is based on using primary raw materials for which escape concentrations above 1000 ppm or even above 10000 ppm or 10% will not result in any health risk.

In a process for safe production of phosgene (COCI.sub.2) from carbon monoxide and chlorine according to the reaction scheme CO (g)+Cl.sub.2 (g)>COCI.sub.2 (g) in a plant with a capacity of phosgene below 10 t/hr, the CO is produced on site from a feed stock based mainly on CO.sub.2. The plant preferably comprises a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) stack system producing CO for use together with chlorine in the phosgene synthesis. This way of producing phosgene is based on using primary raw materials for which escape concentrations above 1000 ppm or even above 10000 ppm or 10% will not result in any health risk.

A process for manufacturing isocyanates or polycarbonates comprising the steps of: providing a chlorine stream and carbon monoxide stream; reacting said chlorine stream and said carbon monoxide stream for providing a phosgene stream; cooling the phosgene stream to a temperature at which the phosgene in the phosgene stream is liquid, preferably, to a temperature that is 4 C. less or more than 4 C. less than the boiling point of phosgene, to form a liquid phosgene stream and a gas stream; separating the gas stream and the liquid phosgene stream; removing residual chlorine from the liquid phosgene stream to form a chlorine depleted phosgene stream and reacting the chlorine depleted phosgene stream to form an isocyanate or a polycarbonate.

Methods and systems include supplying pulsed microwave radiation through a waveguide, where the microwave radiation propagates in a direction along the waveguide. A pressure within the waveguide is at least 0.1 atmosphere. A supply gas is provided at a first location along a length of the waveguide, a majority of the supply gas flowing in the direction of the microwave radiation propagation. A plasma is generated in the supply gas, and a process gas is added into the waveguide at a second location downstream from the first location. A majority of the process gas flows in the direction of the microwave propagation at a rate greater than 5 slm. An average energy of the plasma is controlled to convert the process gas into separated components, by controlling at least one of a pulsing frequency of the pulsed microwave radiation, and a duty cycle of the pulsed microwave radiation.

The present invention relates to a continuous process for preparing chlorine and a production unit for carrying out said process. The present invention further relates to a use of said production unit for the continuous production of chlorine.

The present invention relates to a continuous process for preparing chlorine and a production unit for carrying out said process. The present invention further relates to a use of said production unit for the continuous production of chlorine.

The invention relates to a method of separating a phosgene- and hydrogen chloride-comprising stream (5), wherein said method comprises conveying the hydrogen chloride- and phosgene-comprising stream (5) into a distillation column (1), withdrawing at the bottom of the distillation column (1) a phosgene-comprising stream (7) and withdrawing at the top of the column an essentially hydrogen chloride-comprising stream (9). At least a portion of the stream (9) withdrawn at the top is compressed and at least partially condensed and at least a portion of the liquid and compressed essentially hydrogen chloride-comprising stream is decompressed and recycled into the top of distillation column (1) as reflux.