Process for the preparation of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane and 1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropane

Abstract

A process is disclosed for the manufacture of CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CHFCH2F. The process involves (a) reacting hydrogen fluoride, chlorine, and at least one halopropene of the formula CX3CCl═CClX (where each X is independently F or Cl) to produce a product including both CF3CCl2CClF2 and CF3CClFCCl2F; (b) reacting CF3CCl2CClF2 and CF3CClFCCl2F produced in (a) with hydrogen to produce a product including both CF3CH2CHF2, and CF3CHFCH2F; and (c) recovering CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CHFCH2F from the product produced in (b). In (a), the CF3CCl2CClF2 and CF3CClFCCl2F are produced in the presence of a chlorofluorination catalyst including a ZnCr2O4/crystalline α-chromium oxide composition, a ZnCr2O4/crystalline α-chromium oxide composition which has been treated with a fluorinating agent, a zinc halide/α-chromium oxide composition and/or a zinc halide/α-chromium oxide composition which has been treated with a fluorinating agent.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.