Production of organotin halides

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ALIPHATIC TIN HALIDES WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AT 50*C.-250*C. METALLIC TIN WITH AN ALIPHATIC HALIDE HAVING LESS THAN 20 CARBON ATOMS IN WHICH THE HALIDE MOIETY IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CHLORIDE AND BROMIDE, IN THE PRESENCE OF (1) A CATALYST CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN ''ONIUM COMPOUND CONTAINING COVALENTLY BONDED ORGANIC GROUPS, SAID ''ONIUM COUPOUND BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF QUATERNARY AMMOUNIUM AND QUATERNARY PHOSPHONIUM CHLORIDE AND BROMIDES, (2) 0-0.1 MOLE PER MOLE OF METALLIC TIN OF A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF METALLIC MAGNESIUM, ZINE, CADMIUM, MERCURY, COPPER, COBALT, NICKEL, ALUMINUM, TITANIUM, MANGANESE, IRON, CALCIUM, CHROMIUM, A SALT OF THE FOREGOING METALS, AN ALKOXIDE OF THE FOREGOING METALS, AND A MERCAPTIDE OF THE FOREGOING METALS, AND (3) 0.1-0.6 MOLE PER MOLE OF METALLIC TIN OF A PREFORMED TIN HALIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STANNOUS CHLORIDE, STANNOUS BROMIDE, ORGANOTIN CHLORIDES AND ORGANOTIN BROMIDES; AND SEPARATING ALIPHATIC TIN HALIDE THEREBY PRODUCED FROM SAID CATALYST.