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US 5,674,949 AGranted
Liquid-phase fluorination
AssigneeExfluor Research Corporation
InventorsThomas R. Bierschenk, Timothy Juhlke, Hajimu Kawa, Richard J. Lagow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention pertains to a method for liquid-phase fluorination for perfluorination of a wide variety of hydrogen-containing compounds.
Claims20
A method for forming an essentially perfluorinated compound by liquid-phase fluorination in a reactor, comprising the steps of:
- a) introducing fluorine gas into an inert, liquid medium that is not the same as the essentially perfluorinated compound while forming an agitated medium, the fluorine gas being diluted so that the inert liquid medium and fluorine gas in a vapor space, which is formed above the liquid medium, do not form a flammable mixture;
- b) introducing a hydrogen-containing compound into the liquid medium so that the hydrogen-containing compound is dissolved or dispersed within the liquid medium;
- c) fluorinating until the hydrogen-containing compound is essentially perfluorinated, whereby the fluorine gas is introduced at a rate that is sufficient to remove the formed byproduct hydrogen fluoride from the reactor while under conditions which produce the essentially perfluorinated compound, wherein the fluorination reaction is carried out in the absence of a hydrogen fluoride scavenger under conditions including a temperature below the boiling point of the liquid medium but sufficiently high to allow byproduct hydrogen fluoride to be removed from the reactor, thereby forming the essentially perfluorinated compound;
- and
- d) removing the byproduct hydrogen fluoride from the reactor.
2 more elements
A liquid-phase process for forming an essentially perfluorinated organic compound, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting in a temperature-controlled reactor a diluted solution or dispersion of a perfluorinateable, organic compound in a liquid, inert medium, said liquid, inert medium not being the same as the essentially perfluorinated organic compound, in the absence of a hydrogen fluoride scavenger with a stoichiometric excess of fluorine gas to essentially perfluorinate said organic compound at a temperature sufficient to volatilize the resulting byproduct hydrogen fluoride;
- b) removing said hydrogen fluoride from the reactor as it is produced;
- and
- c) removing separately from the reactor the resultant solution or dispersion of said perfluorinated organic compound.
1 more element
A liquid-phase process for forming an essentially perfluorinated organic compound, comprising the steps of:
- a) introducing a perfluorinateable organic compound in the absence of a hydrogen fluoride scavenger into a temperature-controlled reactor having an agitated inert liquid medium to form a diluted solution or dispersion of the perfluorinateable, organic compound in the inert liquid medium, wherein said liquid medium is not the same as the essentially perfluorinated organic compound;
- b) introducing a stoichiometric excess of fluorine gas, while in the absence of a hydrogen fluoride scavenger, to perfluorinate said organic compound at a sufficient temperature and flow rate of the fluorine gas to volatilize and remove the resulting byproduct hydrogen fluoride from the reactor, thereby forming the essentially perfluorinated organic compound;
- c) removing said byproduct hydrogen fluoride from the reactor as it is produced;
- and
- d) removing separately from the reactor the resultant solution or dispersion of said perfluorinated organic compound.
2 more elements
A process for forming a perfluorinated organic compound, which yields hydrogen fluoride as a byproduct, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a reaction system comprising a reactor and a means for conveying fluids through the reactor;
- b) conveying through the reactor a fluid comprising an organic compound, which can be perfluorinated to form the perfluorinated organic compound, and an inert liquid medium, said inert liquid medium not being the essentially perfluorinated organic compound;
- c) introducing fluorine gas into the fluid in the absence of a hydrogen fluoride scavenger, the ratio of organic compound to fluorine being sufficient to obtain a chemical reaction between them;
- d) fluorinating the organic compound under turbulent conditions and for a time sufficient to yield the perfluorinated organic compound;
- e) separating the byproduct hydrogen fluoride from the liquid phase comprising the inert, liquid medium and perfluorinated compound as both exit the reactor;
- and
- f) returning the liquid phase to the reactor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.