Process for the manufacture of pentafluoroethane

摘要

A process is disclosed for the preparation of pentafluoroethane from chlorotetrafluoroethane (the yield of pentafluoroethane is at least 50 mole percent based upon the amount of chlorofluoroethane reacted with HF) with particularly low levels of chlorofluoroethanes. The process involves providing sufficient pretreatment (where necessary) of a Cr2O3 catalyst with at least one agent selected from the group consisting of CO, H2, H2O and mixtures thereof in the gaseous state such that the total chlorofluoroethane content of said product stream is less than 1 mole percent. Certain high surface area catalysts may be used without such pretreatment.