Investigation of the production of vinylidene chloride from the thermal decomposition of methyl chloroform.

The production of vinylidene chloride (1,1-dichloroethylene) from the thermal decomposition of methyl chloroform (1,1,1-trochlorethane) has been examined. This topic was investigated because vinylidene chloride is considerably more toxic than methyl chloroform. Methyl chloroform vapors (at approximately the TLV concentration of 1910mg/m3) were passed through a heated tube furnace containing glass or copper. In the presence of glass, the decomposition reaction began to occur at 350°C and was essentially complete by 605°C. Vinylidene chloride was detected in nearly stoichiometric amounts. In the presence of copper, the reaction occurred initially at 180°C. By 442°C no methyl chloroform remained. Once again, the conversion to vinylidene chloride was nearly complete.