Oxychlorination process using a catalyst which comprises copper chloride supported on rare-earth modified alumina

摘要

A superior catalyst for the oxychlorination of C2 hydrocarbon feeds comprises a mixture of copper chloride and alkali metal chloride, especially potassium chloride, and preferably also magnesium chloride, which mixture is deposited on an alumina support that has been thermally stabilized by integral incorporation therein of a certain class of lanthanide oxide. The use of such thermally stable catalyst in the production of chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene by oxychlorination of a C2 hydrocarbon feed results in particularly good process efficiencies in terms of long on-stream times, relatively low reactor corrosion rates, high HCl conversion, reduced burning, and conveniently flexible selectivity to specifically desired product.