REACTIONS IN LIQUID-HYDROGEN CHLORIDE .2. KINETICS OF ETHYLENE AND VINYLIDENE-CHLORIDE HYDROCHLORINATION

Hydrochlorination of ethylene and vinylidene chloride proceeds in liqu id hydrogen chloride at 180 K in the presence of AlBr3, forming ethyl chloride and methylchloroform, respectively. The reaction rate exhibit s a drastic increase when the dilute solution of HCI is replaced with liquid hydrogen chloride. The reaction order with respect to aluminum bromide concentration is two. As ethylene concentration is increased, the process rate diminishes. Addition of HCI to vinylidene chloride pr oceeds more readily than addition to ethylene; however, during joint h ydrochlorination of vinylidene chloride and ethylene, initially, only the latter reacts. A reaction scheme is proposed which takes into acco unt the formation of low-activity complexes of ethylene with the catal yst, in addition to catalytic hydrochlorination.