| abstract |
A superior catalyst for the oxychlorination of C2 hydrocarbon feeds comprises a mixture of copper chloride and alkali metal chloride, for instance, potassium chloride, and preferably also magnesium chloride, which mixture is deposited on an alumina support having a surface area in excess of 20 and less than 100 m2/g. The thermal stability of such a catalyst composition can be further improved by incorporating 0.2 to 5 percent silica in the alumina support. The use of such microspheroidal catalyst in the production of perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene by oxychlorination of a C2 hydrocarbon feed in a fluidized bed reactor results in particularly good process efficiencies in terms of high HCl conversion, and good flexible selectivity to specifically desired product, reduced burning and long on-stream times. |