Patent ID: 7902410

Claim:
A process for the production of a fluorinated propane comprising the steps of: (a) contacting, in a first reaction stage, a feed stream comprising a fluorinated olefin and a reducing agent with a first amount of catalyst to produce at least a first effluent stream comprising a flurorinated alkane, unreacted fluorinated olefin, and reducing agent, wherein said fluorinated olefin is fed into said first reaction stage at a rate that is at least about 60% above the productivity of the catalyst present in said first reaction stage and results in a conversion of the fluorinated olefin to a fluorinated alkane of from about 10% to about 60%; (b) contacting, in one or more additional reaction stages, said first effluent stream with a second amount of catalyst to produce said fluorinated alkane, said second amount of catalyst being present in an amount to achieve a conversion to said fluorinated olefin substantially greater than in the conversion of said fluorinated olefin in said first reaction stage, wherein said fluorinated olefin is a compound of formula (I): (CX n Y 3-n )(CR 1 a R 2 b ) Z CX═CH m X 2-m (I) and said fluorinated alkane is a compound of formula (II): (CX n Y 3-n )(CR 1 a R 2 b ) Z CHXCH 2 X (II) where: each X is independently Cl, F, I or Br; each Y is independently H, Cl, F, I or Br; each R1 is independently H, Cl, F, I, Br or unsubstituted or halogen substituted methyl or ethyl radical; each R 2 is independently H, Cl, F, I, Br or unsubstituted or halogen substituted methyl or ethyl radical; n is 1, 2 or 3; a and b are each 1 or 2, provided that a+b=2; m is 0, 1 or 2; and Z is 0, 1, 2 or 3.