Hydrodehalogenation of hexachloro- and hexabromobenzene by metallic calcium in ethanol, in the presence of Rh/C catalyst

Both hexachlorobenzeneand hexabromobenzenewere successfully hydrodehalogenated to the monohalogenated derivative and ultimately to benzene (which was subsequently reduced to cyclohexane) using a mixture of metallic Ca, ethanol, and Rh/C, by simple stirring in diethyl ether, at room or mild temperature (60 °C). Various experiments were performed in order to assess the role of the solvent and Rh/C catalyst, as well as for elucidating the reaction pathway.