Processes for converting chlorinated alkenes to useful, less chlorinated alkenes

A process for converting a chlorinated alkene feedstock including two or more chlorines to reaction products including a less-chlorinated alkene, comprising reacting the chlorinated alkene feedstock with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a Group VIII metal other than rhodium, palladium or ruthenium, a Group IB metal and a promoter on a support, under conditions effective to produce the less chlorinated alkene in a yield of at least about 10 percent.

A process for converting perchloroethylene to reaction products including trichloroethylene, comprising reacting perchloroethylene with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a Group VIII metal other than rhodium, palladium or ruthenium, a Group IB metal and a promoter on a support, under conditions effective to produce trichloroethylene in a yield of at least about 10 percent.

A process for converting perchloroethylene to reaction products including trichloroethylene, comprising reacting perchloroethylene with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst consisting of from about 0.01 to about 5.0 weight percent on an elemental basis of platinum, from about 0.5 to about 30 percent by weight of copper on an elemental basis, and from about 0.01 to about 10.0 weight percent on an elemental basis of a phosphorus promoter on a carbon support having a specific surface area in an unimpregnated condition of at least about 200 m.sup.2 /g, the phosphorus promoter having been incorporated in the catalyst by impregnation from an aqueous solution of methyltricyclohexylphosphonium chloride or from a solution of tricyclohexylphosphine in an organic solvent, under conditions effective to produce trichloroethylene in a yield of at least about 10 percent.