Hydrochloric Acid → Desflurane Hydrogen Fluoride

Participants

Reaction Steps

A 6-ft×2-inch tube was charged with chromia catalyst and isoflurane and 5 mole equivalents of HF were introduced in vapor form at a pressure of 150 psig. The by-product HCl, desflurane, unreacted isoflurane and unreacted HF that exited the tube were collected and distilled at 150 psig to remove HCl. After HCl was removed, the reaction mixture was heated at total reflux. At a pressure of 150 psig, the material collected overhead at 82° C. was the desflurane/hydrogen fluoride azeotrope. The composition of the azeotrope, after analysis was determined to be 85% desflurane and 15% HF, by weight. The table below shows the boiling point and composition of the azeotrope at different pressures.

Provenance & Evidence