Process for the preparation of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (1234yf)

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 (CF3CCl=CH2, 1233xf) with hydrogen fluoride (HF) in a fluorination reactor to produce a fluorination product stream comprising 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane (245cb), HF and HCl;
• (b) vapour phase catalytic dehydrofluorination of a second 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,
• wherein the purification step (c) comprises a distillation step in which a lighter fraction comprising 245cb, 1234yf, any 1234ze(E) and some HF is distilled leaving a heavier fraction comprising the majority of the HF and unreacted 1233xf, and wherein the lighter fraction is removed from the distillation column and passed to a scrubbing train.