PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A CHLORINATED ALKANE

1 . A process for producing a chlorinated alkane in which an alkene or an alkane feedstock is contacted with chlorine in a chlorination zone to produce a reaction mixture containing the chlorinated alkane, wherein the chlorine supplied into the chlorination zone has an oxygen content of less than about 2000 ppmv and wherein:

the chlorination zone is closed to the atmosphere, and/or

the chlorination zone is operated under atmospheric or superatmospheric pressure, and/or

the chlorination zone is operated under an inert atmosphere, and/or

the content of dissolved oxygen in the alkene or alkane feedstock is less than 2000 ppm;

and wherein the reaction mixture is extracted from the chlorination zone and the extracted reaction mixture is subjected to one or more distillation steps;

and wherein a distillation apparatus employed in the one or more distillation steps which would come into contact with a distillate or process fluid in use of the distillation apparatus is free of components which comprise about 10% or more, about 5% or more, about 2% or more or about 1% or more of iron.

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein all components of the distillation apparatus which, in use of the distillation apparatus, would come into contact with the distillate or process fluid are produced from a material selected from the group consisting of fluoropolymers, fluorochloropolymers, glass, enamel, phenolic resin impregnated graphite, silicium carbide and fluoropolymer impregnated graphite.