The invention includes methods for preparing halohydrins and epoxides. A method of preparing halohydrins can include exposing (R.sup.1CHXCH.sub.2O--).sub.2SO.sub.2 to R.sup.2COOH to produce R.sup.1CHXCH.sub.2COOR.sup.2 and hydrolyzing the R.sup.1CHXCH.sub.2COOR.sup.2 to produce the halohydrin R.sup.1CHXCH.sub.2OH. R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can be the same or different single elements and/or organic groups and X can be a halogen. A method of preparing an epoxide can include combining a sulfuric acid containing solution with a halogen to produce a first mixture and exposing the first mixture to trifluoropropene to produce a second mixture. The second mixture can be combined with acetic acid to produce an acetyl halohydrin of trifluoropropene and the acetyl halohydrin can be hydrolyzed to form a halohydrin of trifluoropropene. The halohydrin can be converted to a trifluoropropyl epoxide.
RELATED PATENT DATA
This patent claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 60/810,408, which was filed Jun. 2, 2006, entitled "Methods for Preparing Halohydrins and Methods for Preparing Epoxides" and which is incorporated by reference herein.
