A process is disclosed for purifying a hydrofluoropropane of undesirable
C.sub.2 C.sub.4 olefinic and C.sub.1 C.sub.4 saturated chlorinated
impurities, comprising the steps of: contacting a first mixture of
hydrofluoropropane, olefinic impurity and saturated chlorinated impurity
with hydrogen and hydrogen fluoride concurrently in the presence of a
bifunctional catalyst, for example an alloy of gold and palladium
supported on carbon, capable of catalyzing hydrogenation and
fluorination. During the contacting step, olefinic impurity is converted
to saturated hydrogenated derivative and/or saturated hydrofluorinated
derivative, and saturated chlorinated impurity is converted to a
saturated hydrodechlorinated derivative and/or saturated fluorinated
derivative. The hydrofluoropropane thus formed is substantially free of
both the olefinic and saturated chlorinated impurities and may be used as
obtained or subject to further purification steps such as distillation to
remove the process derivatives (e.g., hydrogenation, hydrodechlorination
and hydrofluorination derivatives) from the hydrofluoropropane.