PRODUCTION OF TRIFLUOROMETHANE SULFONYL CHLORIDE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a trifluoromethane sulfonyl chloride in a high yield by reacting trifluoromethane sulfonic acid with phosphorus trichloride and chlorine under the atmospheric pressure. SOLUTION: This method for producing trifluoromethane sulfonyl chloride of the formula: CF3SO2Cl comprises reacting (A) trifluoromethane sulfonic acid of the formula: CF3SO3H with (B) phosphorus trichoride and chlorine (PCl3+Cl2) at a temp. of 40-90 deg.C. In the reaction, the component B is used in an amount of 0.5-2.0 moles per mole of the component A. Since solid phosphorus pentaoxide is not used in the method, the trifluoromethane sulfonyl chloride useful as a raw material for producing medicines, agrochemicals, various functional materials, etc., can be obtained with highly good workability.