Oxychlorination of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF OXYCHLORINATING 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE COMPRISING REACTING AT OXYCHLORINATION TEMPERATURE IN THE VAPOR PHASE 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE, OXYGEN AND A CHLORINATING AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HCI, CI2 AND MIXTURES OF HCI AND CI2 IN THE PRESENCE OF A METAL HALIDE OXYCHLORINATION CATALYST TO PRODUCE TRICHLOROETHYLENE AND PERCHLOROETHYLENE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING FEEDING TO THE REACTION ZONE CIS 1,2-DICHLOROETHYLENE IN AN AMOUNT BETWEEN 5 AND 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF THE TOTAL ORGANIC FEED TO THEREBY REDUCE THE BURNING OF SAID 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF OXYCHLORINATING 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 325 AND 700*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF A COPPER CONTAINING OXYCHLORINATION CATALYST, A MIXTURE COMPRISING ETHANE, A CHLORINATING AGENT OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HCI, CI2 AND MIXTURES OF HCI AND CI2, AND OXYGEN IN AN AMOUNT OF FROM 0.2 TO 1.5 MOLES OF OXYGEN PER MOLE OF CHLORINATING AGENT AND A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT, UP TO 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF THE ORGANIC CONTENT OF SAID MIXTURE, OF 1,2-DICHLOROETHYLENE TO THEREBY REDUCE BURNING OF SAID 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE WHILE PRODUCING TRICHLOROETHYLENE AND PERCHLOROETHYLENE.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF OXYCHLORINATING 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 325 AND 700*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF A COPPER CONTAINING OXYCHLORINATION CATALYST, A MIXTURE COMPRISING ETHANE, A CHLORINATING AGENT OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HCI, CI2 AND MIXTURES OF HCI AND CI2, AND OXYGEN IN AN AMOUNT OF FROM 0.2 TO 1.5 MOLES OF OXYGEN PER MOLE OF CHLORINATING AGENT AND A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT, UP TO 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF THE ORGANIC CONTENT OF SAID MIXTURE, OF 1,2-DICHLOROETHYLENE TO THEREBY REDUCE BURNING OF SAID 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE WHILE PRODUCING TRICHLOROETHYLENE AND PERCHLOROETHYLENE.