| abstract |
A process for the purification of a perfluorochemical composition comprises continuously mixing the perfluorochemical composition, comprising a liquid mixture of inert perfluorochemicals (e.g., perfluoroalkanes, perfluoroethers, perfluoroaminoethers, or perfluoroalkyl tertiary amines) and isomeric fluorohydrochemicals, with a stabilization composition comprising water-miscible alkanol and an aqueous solution of base (such as potassium hydroxide) made by dissolving the base in an amount of water sufficient to dissolve or disperse the fluoride salt by-products of the subsequent reaction of the base with the fluorohydrochemicals to form fluoroolefins, the amount of the alkanol in the stabilization composition being in stoichiometric excess of the amount needed to completely convert the fluoroolefins to alkoxyvinyl ethers. The process can be utilized to purify the product mixtures resulting from fluorination methods such as direct fluorination or ECF. |