Huels Troisdorf Ag

Wolfgang Merkel

Bernhard Piotrowski

Roland Schildhauer

Kurt Deselaers

A method is disclosed for the preparation of 1,2-dichloroethane in a reactor by the reaction of gaseous ethylene with chlorine dissolved in a hot, catalyst-containing, liquid circulating stream that is under elevated pressure and consists of chlorinated hydrocarbons. All of the chlorine is absorbed outside of the reactor, at a temperature above 90.degree. C., a pressure of more than 4 bar, and an average residence time of less than 120 seconds. The reaction takes place at the phase boundary surface of a dispersion produced from gaseous ethylene and the chlorine-containing, liquid, circulating stream, at an energy dissipation density of 0.05 to 1000 kilowatts per cubic meter, a temperature of 90.degree. to 200.degree. C., and a pressure of 7 to 20 bar. Iron(III) chloride is used preferably as catalyst. Oxygen is used preferably as inhibitor for preventing the formation of byproducts. The separation of the unreacted amounts of ethylene and chlorine as well as other gaseous components from the product-containing circulating stream is performed preferably in an expansion tank.

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Troisdorf, Germany

Wolfgang Merkel