Continuous process for the production of vinylidene chloride telomers

A method for the continuous production of compounds having the formula:

• CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2).sub.n Cl
• wherein n=2 or 3, which comprises
• (a) continuously feeding into a reactor sufficient amounts of CCl.sub.4 and CH.sub.2 .dbd.CCl.sub.2, in the presence of a sufficient amount of at least one solvent and at least one catalyst to drive the reaction to form CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2)Cl wherein the reaction rate constant is k.sub.1 ;
• and
• (b) if n=2, after continuous removal of CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2)Cl from the reactor, reacting the removed CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2)Cl in a second reactor with sufficient amounts of CCl.sub.4 and CH.sub.2 .dbd.CCl.sub.2, in the presence of a sufficient amount of at least one solvent and at least one catalyst to drive the reaction to form CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2).sub.2 Cl wherein the reaction rate constant is k.sub.2, wherein the ratio of the molar amounts of CCl.sub.4 to CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2)Cl reacted is greater than the ratio k.sub.2 /k.sub.1 ;
• and then continuously removing CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2).sub.2 Cl from the second reactor;
• and
• (c) if n=3, after continuous removal of CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2).sub.2 Cl from the second reactor, reacting the removed CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2).sub.2 Cl in a third reactor with sufficient amounts of CCl.sub.4 and CH.sub.2 .dbd.CCl.sub.2, in the presence of a sufficient amount of at least one solvent and at least one catalyst to drive the reaction to form CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2).sub.3 Cl wherein the reaction rate constant is k.sub.3, wherein the ratio of the molar amounts of CCl.sub.4 to CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2).sub.2 Cl reacted is greater than the ratio k.sub.3 /k.sub.2 and then continuously removing CCl.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 CCl.sub.2).sub.3 Cl from the third reactor.