Cryogenically controlled direct fluorination process, apparatus and products resulting therefrom

A direct fluorination process for fluorinating a reactant with elemental fluorine, comprising:

• a. providing a packed column fluorination reactor having a multiplicity of temperature zones independently controllable to a temperature within a range of about -190.degree. C. to about +20.degree. C.;
• b. lowering the temperature of a first zone below the condensation point of the reactant to be fluorinated;
• c. introducing said reactant to be fluorinated into said first zone while it is maintained at the lowered temperature whereby said reactant condenses on the column packings in said first zone;
• d. introducing a source of elemental fluorine and an inert gas into said first zone, the source of elemental fluorine initially comprising a very small percentage of said mixture and which gradually rises as fluorination proceeds;
• e. maintaining the temperature of said first zone until at least partial fluorination of the condensed reactant has occurred;
• f. raising the temperature in said first zone to volatilize said partially fluorinated reactant and lowering the temperature in a second zone below the freezing point of said partially fluorinated reactant whereby the partially fluorinated reactant is transported to said second zone wherein it condenses on the column packings therein;
• and,
• g. repeating step f. until said reactant has been fluorinated to the desired degree.