Copper fluoroborate-aromatic complexes and preparation thereof

Claim 1

AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON RECOVERY PROCESS COMPRISING (A) CONTACTING, UNDER ESSENTIALLY ANHYDROUS CONDITIONS, A FEED MIXTURE OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND SATURATED NON-AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS, IN THE SUBSTANTIAL ABSENCE OF ORGANO SULFUR COMPOUNDS, WITH A LIQUID AGENT CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF (I) LIQUID HF, IN AN AMOUNT AT LEAST SUFFICIENT TO FORM A DISTINCT SEPARATE ACID PHASE IN THE CONTACTING ZONE, AND (II) A COMPLEX OF COPPER FLUOROBORATE AND AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON, IN SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIMOLAR AMOUNTS, SAID COMPLEX BEING DISSOLVED IN SAID LIQUID HF, AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT - 30*C. AND +150*C. AT A PRESSURE AT LEAST SUFFICIENT TO KEEP THE HF IN LIQUID STATE, (B) SEPARATING A RAFFINATE PHASE CONTAINIG LESS AROMATIC HYDROCARBON THAN IS PRESENT IN SAID FEEDC FROM AN ACID PHASE COMPRISING HF AND COPPER FLUOROBORATE COMPLEX CONTAINING SUBSTANIALLY TWO MOLES OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBON AND ONE MOLE OF COPPER FLUOROBORATE, (C) DISTILLING HF FROM SAID ACID PHASE TO RECOVER THE COMPLEX THEREFROM, (D) HEATING THE COMPLEX RECOVERED FROM SAID ACID PHASE UNDER CONDITIONS OF TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE AND TIME SUCH THAT ONE MOLE OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBON IS DECOMPLEXED AND (E) SEPARATING COMPLEX CONTAINING SUBSTANTIALLY ONE MOLE OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBON PER MOL OF COPPER FLUOROBORATE FROM SAID DECOMPLEXED AROMATIC HYDROCARBON.