Disproportionation of selected chlorofluoromethanes

A process for producing trichloromonofluoromethane, dichlorodifluoromethane and chloroform comprising the steps of:

• (a) reacting, in the vapor phase, trifluoromethane or monochlorodifluoromethane and carbon tetrachloride in the presence of an effective amount of a catalyst consisting essentially of activated aluminum and magnesium oxides in which the amount of magnesium in the catalyst is at least 5 percent by weight of the catalyst's total metals content at a temperature of about 150.degree. to 350.degree. C., a pressure of about 0.1 to 25 atmospheres, a molar feed ratio of chlorofluorocarbon to carbon tetrachloride of about 0.1 to 10.0 and a contact time of about 0.2 to 20 seconds to produce trichloromonofluoromethane, dichlorodifluoromethane and chloroform as the primary reaction products, and
• (b) separating the trichloromonofluoromethane, difluorodichloromethane and chloroform from the reaction product of step (a).