Inventors:
Harry R. McEntee - Waterford NY
Frank S. Potochnik - Scotia NY
Assignee:
General Electric Company - Waterford NY
International Classification:
C07C 1700
Abstract:
Crude gaseous C. sub. 1 -C. sub. 3 alkyl chlorides, prepared by reacting the corresponding alcohol with hydrogen chloride, are freed from by-product water, unreacted hydrogen chloride and unreacted alcohol by feeding the super-heated gaseous stream to an acid removal distillation unit with steam wherein the hydrogen chloride is removed as an acid by-product stream; thereafter passing the alkyl chloride vapors into a refrigerated recovery distillation unit wherein the alcohol is liquified; and finally withdrawing and recovering the C. sub. 1 -C. sub. 3 alkyl chloride from the refrigerated recovery distillation unit. In an embodiment, the process includes passing the alkyl chloride vapors from the acid removal distillation unit into an aqueous caustic scrubbing unit and withdrawing the spent caustic and recycling it to the acid removal distillation unit, prior to passing the alkyl chloride vapors to the refrigerated recovery distillation unit.