Bayer Aktiengesellschaft

Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft

Peter Widmann

Josef Riedl

Wenzel Kuhn

A process for the manufacture of 1,2-dichloroethane from ethylene by reaction with hydrogen chloride and inert gases containing oxygen, and also by reaction with chlorine, is described. The two chlorination reactions are carried out successively at 180.degree. to 360.degree. C. and under a pressure of 0.09 to 1.1 MPa in a common reaction space containing fluidized catalyst particles. A stoichiometric excess of ethylene is employed for the first chlorination reaction. The heat formed in the reaction space is removed by indirect cooling. The process is simple in terms of apparatus and permits a better re-use of the total heat of reaction of the chlorination of ethylene.

Process for the manufacture of 1,2-dichloroethane

A process for the manufacture of 1,2-dichloroethane is described, in which 1 mol of ethylene, 0.35 to 0.7 mol of chlorine, 0.7 to 1.4 mol of hydrogen chloride and 0.2 to 0.6 mol of oxygen, optionally together with inert gas, are reacted in a reaction zone containing surfaces capable of being heated and cooled, at 180.degree. to 260.degree. C. and under a pressure of 0.09 to 1.1 MPa, in the presence of a fixed bed catalyst containing copper. The process allows better utilization of the heat generated in the chlorination of ethylene.

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Altotting, Germany

Peter Widmann