Process for the manufacturing of selected halogenated hydrocarbons containing fluorine and hydrogen and compositions provided therein

A compound of the formula L.sub.2 Ni(1,4-CR.sup.1.sub.2 CR.sup.1.sub.2 CR.sup.2.sub.2 CR.sup.2.sub.2 --) wherein each R.sup.1 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, CN, R, OR, CO.sub.2 R, C(O)R, OC(O)R, R.sup.f, OR.sup.f, CO.sub.2 R.sup.f, C(O)R.sup.f and OC(O)R.sup.f, where R is a hydrocarbyl group and R.sup.f is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 polyfluoroalkyl group, provided that at least one R.sup.1 is F, wherein each R.sup.2 is independently selected from the group consisting of group H, F, Cl, CN, R, OR, CO.sub.2 R, C(O)R, OC(O)R, R.sup.f, OR.sup.f, CO.sub.2 R.sup.f, C(O)R.sup.f, OC(O)R.sup.f and difunctional linkages where an R.sup.2 on each of two adjacent carbon atoms together form a link selected from the group consisting of --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)--, --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2 --, --C(O)OC(O)--, and norborndiyl, and wherein each L is a ligand selected from the group consisting of (1) Group 14 ligands selected from the group consisting of CO, .eta..sup.2 olefinic ligands, .eta..sup.2 alkyne ligands, .eta..sup.5 -C.sub.5 R".sub.5 ligands where R" is hydrocarbyl or hydrogen, and .eta..sup.3 -C.sub.3 R".sub.3 ligands (2) Group 15 ligands selected from the group consisting of pyridine, picoline, 2.2'-bipyridine, ethylene diamine, hydrocarbyl nitriles, mono-, bi-, and polydentate anionic ligands, mono- and bidentate ligands of the formula E.sup.1 (R.sup.3).sub.3 or (R.sup.3).sub.2 E.sup.1 R'E.sup.1 (R.sup.3).sub.2 wherein E.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of N, P, As, Sb, and Bi, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of H, OR, OH, NH.sub.2, NHR and NR.sub.2 where each R is a hydrocarbyl group and R' is an ether, alkylene, or arylene link between E.sup.1 atoms, said R.sup.1 optionally incorporating a pendant functional group selected from OR, OH, NH.sub.2, NHR and NR.sub.2 and two or more of said R, R.sup.3 or R and R.sup.3 groups optionally being cojoined and (3) Group 16 ligands, provided that when each L is a Group 15 ligand, and each R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is F, then L is not trimethylphosphite, tri-o-tolylphosphite, triethylphosphine, tributylphosphine, methyldiphenyl phosphine, triphenylphosphine, dimethylphenyl arsine, 4-methylpyridine, dimethylarsine, 2,2-bipyridyl, or 1,2-bis(diphenyl phosphino)ethane, and provided that when three R.sup.1 groups and three R.sup.2 groups are F and the remaining R.sup.1 group and R.sup.2 group are H, then L is not triphenylphosphine or methydiphenylphosphine.