Patent ID: 8088957

Claim:
A process for producing a chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof comprising the step of contacting a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, an ester of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof with a source of hydrogen chloride, in the presence of a catalyst to produce a chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof, said contacting step carried out without substantial removal of water and at a hydrogen chloride partial pressure of from about 15 psia to about 1000 psia; wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an anhydride, an acid chloride, an ester, a lactone, a lactam, an amide, a metal organic compound, a metal salt, a compound convertible to a carboxylic acid under the reaction conditions of the process, and a combination thereof.