Treatment of organic compounds to reduce chlorine level

A process for reducing the chlorine content of an organochlorine compound comprising:

• contacting the organochlorine compound with (a) at least one acid selected from the group consisting of Lewis acids, mineral acids other than hydriodic acid and hydrobromic acid, and organic acids having a pKa of less than about 2, and (b) a source of iodine or bromine for a sufficient amount of time to reduce the chlorine content of the organochlorine compound.

A process for reducing the chlorine content of a first mixture comprising a polyalkenylsuccinic anhydride comprising:

• (A) contacting the first mixture with at least one Lewis acid or a mixture of at least one Lewis acid and a source of iodine or bromine to form a second mixture containing one or more different chlorine compounds;
• and
• (B) separating at least one of the different chlorine compounds from the mixture.

A process for reducing the chlorine content of the reaction product of a polyisobutylene and maleic anhydride prepared in the presence of chlorine where the reaction product contains 0.05% to 2% by weight of chlorine comprising:

• (A) contacting said reaction product containing chlorine with at least one Lewis acid or a mixture of at least one Lewis acid and a source of iodine or bromine for a period of time sufficient to form one or more different chlorine compounds;
• and
• (B) separating at least some of the different chlorine compounds from the reaction product.

A process for reducing the chlorine content of a reaction product comprising a polyisobutenylsuccinic anhydride prepared from a polyisobutylene and maleic anhydride in the presence of chlorine which comprises:

• (A) contacting the reaction product containing chlorine with at least one Lewis acid and a source of iodine or bromine for a period of time sufficient to form one or more different chlorine compounds wherein at least a portion of the source of iodine or bromine is obtained from the effluent of another process to reduce the chlorine content of an organochlorine compound wherein the organochlorine compound is treated with a source of iodine or bromine, or mixtures thereof;
• and
• (B) separating at least some of the at least one of the different chlorine compounds formed in (A) from the reaction product.