Griesheim-Elektron developcd the first industrial process for the manufacture of vinyl chloride. It was based on the addition of hydrogen chloride to acetylene, which was initially obtained solely from carbidc. In the subsequent period, acctylcnc from petrolcum was also employcd in vinyl chloride manufacture. At first, the hydrogen chloridc was made by the reaction of Cl₂ and H₂, but was gradually replaced by hydrogcn chloride from chlorination. The vinylation of hydrogen chloride takes place according to the following equation:



HgCl₂ on activated charcoal scrvcs as a catalyst at 140-200°C. The conversion of acetylenc is 96 -97%, with a selectivity to vinyl chloride of about 98% (based on C₂H2). The isolation of the vinyl chloride is relatively simple as the only byproducts are small amounts of acetaldchyde (from residual moisture in the gas feed) and 1,1 -dichlorocthane (from HCl addition to vinyl chloride).

Despite low investment and operating costs, this route (based exclusively on acetylene) has been largely abandoned in favor of ethylene which represents a cheaper feedstock base. Hence, the last plant operating with this procedure was clossed down in Japan in 1989. In 1991, there were two vinyl chloridc plants based on acetylene still in operation in Western Europe, one in the USA, and four in the CIS. In 1993, the three plants in Western Europe and the USA. as well as a IIüls plant in Germany using this cncrgy-intensive process, were shut down. In countries with inexpensive coal, such as South Africa, production of vinyl chloride from carbide-based acetylene will be economical for the longer term.