GB985289A - Improvements in or relating to the production of chloroprene - Google Patents

Abstract

In a process for the production of chloroprene which comprises dehydrochlorinating 3,4 - dichlorobutene - 1 with aqueous alkali in the presence of a liquid, water-immiscible, organic phase present in an amount sufficient to prevent excessive foaming of the reaction mixture and removing chloroprene produced by the reaction from the reaction zone in the liquid phase as claimed in the parent Specification the contacted surfaces, at least of the dehydrochlorination reactor, are fabricated of a nickel molybdenum alloy containing a major proportion of nickel. The alloy is preferably free from significant amounts of iron and may contain 26-30 wt. per cent of molybdenum and 55-66 wt. per cent of nickel. In one embodiment: a gaseous phase is removed from the reactor and fed to an intermediate point in a distillation column; a liquid phase containing chloroprene is removed from the reactor and fed to a steam stripper; the organic phase from the steam stripper is fed to an intermediate point in the distillation column; said column is operated to obtain substantially pure chloroprene overhead; and the contacted surfaces at least of the reactor, the steam stripper, the lower half of the distillation column and the lines connected there are made of the nickel molybdenum alloy.