Fluorine removal from antimony fluorohalide catalyst using chlorocarbons

A process to prepare 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (1234yf) comprising:

• a) providing a starting composition comprising at least one compound having the structure of Formula I:
• CX″2═CCl—CH2X″ (Formula I)
• wherein each X″ is independently selected from F, Cl, Br, and I, provided that at least one of X″ is not F;
• b) contacting said starting composition with HF under conditions effective to produce a first intermediate composition comprising 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1233xf);
• c) contacting said first intermediate composition comprising 1233xf with HF and a chlorine-containing antimony catalyst under conditions effective to produce a second intermediate composition comprising 244bb;
• and
• d) dehydrochlorinating at least a portion of said 244bb to produce a reaction product comprising 1234yf, wherein the chlorine-containing antimony catalyst is prepared by treating a spent antimony fluorohalide catalyst comprising:
• (i) SbFnX5-n, wherein n is an integer of 1 to 5, and X is a halogen other than fluorine,
• (ii) SbFmX′3-m, wherein m is an integer of 1 to 3, and X′ is a halogen other than fluorine, or
• (iii) mixtures of (i) and (ii),
• with a regenerating agent selected from 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1233xf), 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane (250fb), 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane (HCFC-244bb), and combinations of two or more of 1233xf, 250fb, and 244bb, under conditions effective to produce the chlorine-containing antimony catalyst from the spent antimony fluorohalide catalyst.

A process to prepare 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (1234yf) comprising:

• a) providing a starting composition comprising at least one compound having the structure of Formula III:
• CX″3—CHCl—CH2X″ (Formula III)
• wherein each X″ is independently selected from F, Cl, Br, and I, provided that at least one of X″ is not F;
• b) dehydrohalogenating said starting composition under conditions effective to produce a first intermediate composition comprising 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1233xf);
• c) contacting said first intermediate composition comprising 1233xf with HF and a chlorine-containing antimony catalyst under conditions effective to produce a second intermediate composition comprising 244bb;
• and
• d) dehydrochlorinating at least a portion of said 244bb to produce a reaction product comprising 1234yf, wherein the chlorine-containing antimony catalyst is prepared by treating a spent antimony fluorohalide catalyst comprising:
• (i) SbFnX5-n, wherein n is an integer of 1 to 5, and X is a halogen other than fluorine,
• (ii) SbFmX′3-m, wherein m is an integer of 1 to 3, and X′ is a halogen other than fluorine, or
• (iii) mixtures of (i) and (ii),
• with a regenerating agent selected from 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1233xf), 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane (250fb), 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane (HCFC-244bb), and combinations of two or more of 1233xf, 250fb, and 244bb, under conditions effective to produce the chlorine-containing antimony catalyst from the spent antimony fluorohalide catalyst.