Production of 1,2-dichloroethane

摘要

1,2-dichloroethane is made by subjecting ethylene to an oxychlorination reaction with hydrogen chloride and a gas containing molecular oxygen in gas phase, at elevated temperature and in contact with a fluidized bed copper-II-chloride catalyst on a carrier, wherein the reaction gases are cooled under pressure in two condensation stages, condensed 1,2-dichloroethane and water are removed and the bulk of unreacted starting gas and inert gas are recycled. More specifically the reaction gases are delivered to a third condensation stage and cooled therein under pressure down to a temperature within the range 5 DEG to 18 DEG C. and to the extent necessary for the recycle gas to contain 0.5 to 3 volume % of 1,2-dichloroethane. Next, the recycle gas is directly admixed upstream of the reactor, with a quantity of pure oxygen necessary to replace consumed oxygen and re-establish an oxygen content of 12 to 25 volume % therein.