Disclosed herein are methods and systems that relate to various configurations of electrochemical, bromination, oxybromination, bromine oxidation, hydrolysis, neutralization, and epoxidation reactions to form propylene bromohydrin, propanal, and propylene oxide or to form bromoethanol, bromoacetaldehyde, and ethylene oxide.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems that relate to various configurations of electrochemical, bromination, oxybromination, bromine oxidation, hydrolysis, neutralization, and epoxidation reactions to form propylene bromohydrin, propanal, and propylene oxide or to form bromoethanol, bromoacetaldehyde, and ethylene oxide.

In an oxychlorination process of the type where ethylene is converted to 1,2-dichloroethane in the presence of a supported copper catalyst, the improvement comprising: the use of a supported catalyst prepared by (i) impregnating, within a first step, an alumina support with a first aqueous solution including copper, an alkaline earth metal, and an alkali metal to thereby form a first catalyst component; and (ii) impregnating, within a subsequent step, the first catalyst component with a second aqueous solution including copper and alkaline earth metal, where the second aqueous solution is substantially devoid of alkali metal, to thereby form the supported catalyst.

In an oxychlorination process of the type where ethylene is converted to 1,2-dichloroethane in the presence of a supported copper catalyst, the improvement comprising: the use of a supported catalyst prepared by (i) impregnating, within a first step, an alumina support with a first aqueous solution including copper, an alkaline earth metal, and an alkali metal to thereby form a first catalyst component; and (ii) impregnating, within a subsequent step, the first catalyst component with a second aqueous solution including copper and alkaline earth metal, where the second aqueous solution is substantially devoid of alkali metal, to thereby form the supported catalyst.

Disclosed is a process for producing a chlorinated C3-6 alkane comprising providing a reaction mixture comprising an alkene and carbon tetrachloride in a principal alkylation zone to produce chlorinated C3-6 alkane in the reaction mixture, and extracting a portion of the reaction mixture from the principal alkylation zone, wherein: a) the concentration of the chlorinated C3-6 alkane in the reaction mixture in the principal alkylation zone is maintained at a level such that the molar ratio of chlorinated C3-6 alkane:carbon tetrachloride in the reaction mixture extracted from the alkylation zone does not exceed 95:5 when the principal alkylation zone is in continuous operation; and/or b) the reaction mixture extracted from the principal alkylation zone additionally comprises alkene and the reaction mixture is subjected to a dealkenation step in which at least about 50% or more by weight of the alkene present in the reaction mixture is extracted therefrom and at least about 50% of the extracted alkene is fed back into the reaction mixture provided in the principal alkylation zone; and/or c) the reaction mixture present in the principal alkylation zone and extracted from the principal alkylation zone additionally comprises a catalyst, and the reaction mixture extracted from the principal alkylation zone is subjected to an aqueous treatment step in which the reaction mixture is contacted with an aqueous medium in an aqueous treatment zone, a biphasic mixture is formed and an organic phase comprising catalyst is extracted from the biphasic mixture.

Disclosed is a process for producing a chlorinated C3-6 alkane comprising providing a reaction mixture comprising an alkene and carbon tetrachloride in a principal alkylation zone to produce chlorinated C3-6 alkane in the reaction mixture, and extracting a portion of the reaction mixture from the principal alkylation zone, wherein: a) the concentration of the chlorinated C3-6 alkane in the reaction mixture in the principal alkylation zone is maintained at a level such that the molar ratio of chlorinated C3-6 alkane:carbon tetrachloride in the reaction mixture extracted from the alkylation zone does not exceed 95:5 when the principal alkylation zone is in continuous operation; and/or b) the reaction mixture extracted from the principal alkylation zone additionally comprises alkene and the reaction mixture is subjected to a dealkenation step in which at least about 50% or more by weight of the alkene present in the reaction mixture is extracted therefrom and at least about 50% of the extracted alkene is fed back into the reaction mixture provided in the principal alkylation zone; and/or c) the reaction mixture present in the principal alkylation zone and extracted from the principal alkylation zone additionally comprises a catalyst, and the reaction mixture extracted from the principal alkylation zone is subjected to an aqueous treatment step in which the reaction mixture is contacted with an aqueous medium in an aqueous treatment zone, a biphasic mixture is formed and an organic phase comprising catalyst is extracted from the biphasic mixture.

Disclosed is a fluorination method comprising providing an aryl fluorosulfonate and a fluorinating reagent to a reaction mixture; and reacting the aryl fluorosulfonate and the fluorinating reagent to provide a fluorinated aryl species. Also disclosed is a fluorination method comprising providing, a salt comprising a cation and an aryloxylate, and SO.sub.2F.sub.2 to a reaction mixture; reacting the SO.sub.2F.sub.2 and the ammonium salt to provide a fluorinated aryl species. Further disclosed a fluorination method comprising providing a compound having the structure ArOH to a reaction mixture; where Ar is an aryl or heteroaryl; providing SO.sub.2F.sub.2 to the reaction mixture; providing a fluorinating reagent to the reaction mixture; reacting the SO.sub.2F.sub.2, the fluorinating reagent and the compound having the structure ArOH to provide a fluorinated aryl species having the structure ArF.

Disclosed is a fluorination method comprising providing an aryl fluorosulfonate and a fluorinating reagent to a reaction mixture; and reacting the aryl fluorosulfonate and the fluorinating reagent to provide a fluorinated aryl species. Also disclosed is a fluorination method comprising providing, a salt comprising a cation and an aryloxylate, and SO.sub.2F.sub.2 to a reaction mixture; reacting the SO.sub.2F.sub.2 and the ammonium salt to provide a fluorinated aryl species. Further disclosed a fluorination method comprising providing a compound having the structure ArOH to a reaction mixture; where Ar is an aryl or heteroaryl; providing SO.sub.2F.sub.2 to the reaction mixture; providing a fluorinating reagent to the reaction mixture; reacting the SO.sub.2F.sub.2, the fluorinating reagent and the compound having the structure ArOH to provide a fluorinated aryl species having the structure ArF.

The invention relates to a use of a fluorination gas, wherein the elemental fluorine (F.sub.2) is present in a high concentration, for example, in a concentration of elemental fluorine (F.sub.2), especially of equal to much higher than 15% or even 20% by volume (i.e., at least 15% or even 20% by volume), and to a process for the manufacture of a fluorinated benzene by direct fluorination employing a fluorination gas, wherein the elemental fluorine (F.sub.2) is present in a high concentration. The process of the invention is directed to the manufacture of a fluorinated benzene by direct fluorination. Especially the invention is of interest in the preparation of fluorinated benzene, final products and as well intermediates, for usage in agro-, pharma-, electronics-, catalyst, solvent and other functional chemical applications. The fluorination process of the invention may be performed batch-wise or in a continuous manner. If the process of the invention is performed batch-wise, a column (tower) reactor may be used. If the process of the invention is continuous a microreactor may be used. The invention is characterized in that the starting compound is benzene, and the fluorinated compound produced is a fluorinated benzene, preferably monofluorobenzene.

The invention relates to a use of a fluorination gas, wherein the elemental fluorine (F.sub.2) is present in a high concentration, for example, in a concentration of elemental fluorine (F.sub.2), especially of equal to much higher than 15% or even 20% by volume (i.e., at least 15% or even 20% by volume), and to a process for the manufacture of a fluorinated benzene by direct fluorination employing a fluorination gas, wherein the elemental fluorine (F.sub.2) is present in a high concentration. The process of the invention is directed to the manufacture of a fluorinated benzene by direct fluorination. Especially the invention is of interest in the preparation of fluorinated benzene, final products and as well intermediates, for usage in agro-, pharma-, electronics-, catalyst, solvent and other functional chemical applications. The fluorination process of the invention may be performed batch-wise or in a continuous manner. If the process of the invention is performed batch-wise, a column (tower) reactor may be used. If the process of the invention is continuous a microreactor may be used. The invention is characterized in that the starting compound is benzene, and the fluorinated compound produced is a fluorinated benzene, preferably monofluorobenzene.