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How is 1,2-dichloroethane used to make vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride?

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organohalogen compound Vinyl chloride is an organohalogen compound that has important industrial applications. When treated with certain catalysts, vinyl chloride monomers undergo polymerization and form the larger compound known as polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. PVC is used in the manufacture of numerous products, including packaging films and water pipes.

1,2-dichloroethane, also known as ethylene chloride, serves as a critical intermediate in the industrial production of vinyl chloride.

The process begins by reacting ethylene with chlorine to produce 1,2-dichloroethane. To generate vinyl chloride, this compound is heated in the presence of a charcoal catalyst, a reaction that releases hydrogen chloride as a byproduct.1

Modern industrial plants often integrate this step with an oxychlorination process, where the hydrogen chloride byproduct is recycled and reacted with additional ethylene and oxygen to produce more 1,2-dichloroethane, thereby maximizing efficiency.1

Once produced, vinyl chloride serves as the primary monomer for the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Through the process of polymerization, these vinyl chloride molecules are linked together to form the durable plastic known as PVC, which is widely utilized in numerous commercial and industrial applications.1