Process for the manufacture of fluorinated olefins

A method for producing at least one fluorinated olefin comprising:

• a. hydrogenating a starting material stream comprising at least one alkene according to Formula (I):
• (CXnY3−n)(CR1aR2b)zCX═CHmX2−m (I)
• by contacting said starting material with a reducing agent to produce an intermediate product stream comprising at least one alkane according to Formula (II):
• (CXnY3−n)(CR1aR2b)zCHXCHm+1X2−m (II)
• where:
• each X is independently Cl, F, I or Br, provided that at least two Xs are F;
• each Y is independently H, Cl, F, I or Br;
• each R1 is independently H, Cl, F, I, Br or unsubstitued or halogen substituted methyl or ethyl radical;
• each R2 is independently H, Cl, F, I, Br or unsubstitued or halogen substituted methyl or ethyl radical;
• n is 1, 2 or 3;
• a and b are each 0, 1 or 2, provided that a+b =2;
• m is 0, 1 or 2;
• and
• z is 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• b. optionally, separating said intermediate product stream into a plurality of stream, said plurality of intermediate product streams comprising two or more stream selected from the group consisting of a first stream rich in at least a first alkane according to Formula II, a seconds stream rich in at least a second alkane according to Formula II, and an alkane recycle stream;
• c. dehydrofluorinating at least a portion of said intermediate process stream from step (a) or said plurality of intermediate process streams of step (b) to produce an alkene product stream comprising 1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropene and at least one additional alkene having a lower degree of fluorine substitution compared to the degree of fluorination of the compound of formula (I);
• d. separating at least a portion of said 1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropene from said alkene product stream to produce a recycle stream rich in 1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropene and a final product stream rich in said additional alkene;
• and
• e. introducing said recycle stream at said step (a), wherein at least a portion of said 1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropene is hydrogenated to form a portion of said intermediate product stream.