Defluorination of hf alkylation reactor product

Claim 1

IN A HYDROFLUORIC ACID ALKYLATION REACTION WHEREIN THE REACTION EFFLUENT, CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF HYDROCARBONS AND A MINOR AMOUNT OF ORGANIC FLUORINE-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS, IS DISTILLED IN A DISTILLATION STEP INCLUDING REBOILING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE KETTLE PRODUCT TO RECOVER HYDROCARBONS LIGHTER THAN ALKYLATE AS OVERHEAD PRODUCT, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING CONDENSING THE OVERHEAD PRODUCT TO FORM A LIQUID HYDROCARBON PHASE AND A LIQUID HYDROFLUORC ACID PHASE; RECOVERING THE LIQUID HYDROCARBON PHASE AS OVERHEAD PRODUCT OF REDUCED ORGANIC FLUORINECONTAINING COMPOUNDS CONTENT; RECOVERING THE KETTLE PRODUCT; AND PASSING A STREAM CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF KETTLE PRODUCT AND SAID LIQUID HYDROFLUORIC ACID TO THE REBOILER SECTION OF THE DISTILLATION STEP SAID ACID BEING IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST ABOUT 1 VOLUME PERCENT, BASED ON THE HYDROCARBON FEED TO THE DISTILLATION STEP, OVER THAT REQUIRED TO SATURATE THE HYDROCARBON FEED TO THE DISTILLATION STEP.