# US 4,396,784 A · Hydrogenation of fluoroacids with rhenium-fluorided alumina catalyst

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- Number: US 4,396,784 A
- Document ID: US4396784A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/354,857
- Filed: 1982-03-04
- Granted: 1983-08-02
- Earliest claimed: 1979-08-06
- Assignees: Phillips Petroleum Company
- Inventors: Marvin M. Johnson; Gerhard P. Nowack; Paul S. Hudson; Benedict H. Ashe, Jr., deceased
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4396784A

## CPC

- C07C 29/149: with hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gases
- C07C 31/38: containing only fluorine as halogen
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

A fluoroacid is continuously hydrogenated to a corresponding alcohol by contact with a catalyst comprising at least one of rhenium and a hydrogen reducible rhenium compound supported on a fluorided alumina catalyst support. In one embodiment perfluorobutyric acid is catalytically reduced to 2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluoro n-butanol employing a fluorided activated alumina impregnated with perrhenic acid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the continuous hydrogenation of an organic fluoroacid to a corresponding alcohol which comprises subjecting said acid to contact with a catalyst under hydrogenation conditions consisting essentially of at least one of rhenium and a hydrogen reducible rhenium compound supported on a fluorided alumina catalyst; wherein said organic fluoroacid is represented by the general formula RCOOH wherein R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical in which at least one hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluorine atom; and wherein said hydrogenation is conducted at a temperataure in the approximate range of from about 175.degree. to about 275.degree. C.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1 wherein R is a saturated radical.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A process according to claim 2 wherein the fluoroacid is at least one selected from mono-, di-, and tri- fluoroacetic acids, perfluoropropionic acid, perfluorobutyric acid, perfluorocaproic acid, perfluorocapric acid, and partially fluorinated derivatives thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1 wherein the fluoroacid is continuously passed admixed with hydrogen gas over a fixed bed of the catalyst at an elevated temperature and pressure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A process according to claim 4 wherein a downward flow of reactants is employed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A process according to claim 4 wherein the temperature is in the range of from about 205.degree. to about 235.degree. C.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1 wherein the fluoroacid is perfluoroacetic acid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1 wherein the acid is perfluorobutyric acid.