Process for producing ethylene dichloride

An oxychlorination process for producing ethylene dichloride by

• (a) reacting ethylene with hydrogen chloride and oxygen in the presence of an oxychlorination catalyst in an oxychlorination reactor, whereby ethyl chloride or both ethyl chloride and vinyl chloride are produced as by-products which process comprises the further steps of
• (b) dividing, in one or more steps, the effluent from the oxychlorination reactor into at least (i) an ethylene dichloride-rich fraction (I) and (ii) an ethyl chloride-rich fraction (II) in such a fashion that fraction (I) contains less than about 50 percent of the total weight of ethyl chloride produced in step (a) and the sum of the weight of ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride in fraction (II) is less than about 30 percent of the weight of ethyl chloride in fraction (II) and
• (c) subjecting fraction (II) to a cracking process in the presence or absence of an inert diluent whereby fraction (II) contains less than about 5 percent ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride, based on the combined weight of ethyl chloride and inert diluent in fraction (II) prior to cracking, the cracking process being carried out in the presence of a cracking catalyst in a cracking reactor wherein ethyl chloride is converted into ethylene and hydrogen chloride.