Process for the preparation of halogenated 2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxolanes

A process for the production of a halogenated 2,2-bis(perhaloalkyl)-1,3-dioxolane of the formula ##STR9## wherein X is Cl and each Y is independently Cl or F and at least one Y is F, and wherein each R.sub.f independently is perhaloalkyl in which the alpha carbon atom is substituted by at least one fluorine atom, comprising reacting, under fluorination conditions, 2,2-bis(perhaloalkyl)-4,4,5,5,-tetrachloro-1,3-dioxolane and hydrogen fluoride in the presence of a catalyst which is at least one of La, Ni, Sn, Zn, Fe, Co, Cu, or a member of the group consisting of the oxyhalide, halide, pseudohalide, nitrate, sulfate or organic salt of Cr.

In a process for the production of a halogenated 2,2-bis(perhaloalkyl)-1,3-dioxolane comprising

• (a) chlorinating 2,2-bis(perhaloalkyl)-1,3-dioxolane to produce a compound of the formula ##STR10## and (b) fluorinating the product compound of (a) to produce a compound of the formula ##STR11## wherein X is Cl and Y is Cl or F, at least one Y being F, and wherein each R.sub.f independently is perhaloalkyl in which the alpha carbon atom is substituted by at least one fluorine atom,
• the improvement comprising conducting the chlorination of (a) in the presence of a catalyst which is at least one of any soluble compound of La, Ni, Sn, Zn, Fe, Co or Cu.

In a process for the production of 2,2-bis(perhaloalkyl)-1,3-dioxole of the formula ##STR12## wherein each R.sub.f independently is perhaloalkyl in which the alpha carbon atom is substituted by at least one fluorine atom, comprising chlorinating a corresponding 2-bis(perhaloalkyl)-1,3-dioxolane, fluorinating the product and subsequently dehalogenating to form the 1,3-dioxole,

• the improvement comprising conducting the chlorination in the presence of a catalyst which is at least one of any soluble compound of La, Ni, Sn, Zn, Fe, Co or Cu.

In a process for the production of 2,2-bis(perhaloalkyl)-1,3-dioxole of the formula ##STR13## wherein each R.sub.f independently is perhaloalkyl in which the alpha carbon atom is substituted by at least one fluorine atom, comprising chlorinating a corresponding 2,2-bis(perhaloalkyl)-1,3-dioxolane, fluorinating the product and subsequently dehalogenating to form the 1,3-dioxole,

• the improvement comprising conducting the fluorination using hydrogen fluoride in the presence of a catalyst which is at least one of La, Ni, Sn, Zn, Fe, Co, Cu, or a member of the group consisting of the oxyhalide, halide, pseudohalide, nitrate, sulfate or organic salt of Cr.