PURPOSE: To obtain fluoroethane useful as a refrigerant, foaming agent, etc., by reacting chlorofluoroethane with hydrogen in the presence of a Pd catalyst supported on a preferably fluorinated silica carrier.
CONSTITUTION: A compound expressed by formula I (X1 to X5 are H, F or Cl and at least one thereof is F) (e.g. 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluroethane) is reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a Pd catalyst supported on a silica carrier at 180-300°C to afford a compound expressed by formula II (Y1 to Y5 are H, F or Cl and at least one thereof is F). The amount of Pd supported on the carrier of the Pd/silica catalyst is ≥0.05wt.%. Since the proper reaction temperature for the catalyst is low, excessive hydrogenating reaction is suppressed with hardly any formation of by-products. When a fluorinated silica carrier is used, acid resistance is high and adsorptivity of acidic substances is low. Thereby, since HCl or HF is removed from reaction points, side reaction is hardly advanced.
ONO HIROMOTO
ISHIMURA YOSHIMASA
NAKAYAMA HIDETOSHI
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