Abstract:
A method is provided for denitrifying the aqueous spent acid of mononitration. The nitric acid in the aqueous spent acid is recovered by adiabatically reacting greater than a stoichiometric amount of a mononitroaromatic hydrocarbon with the aqueous spent acid which has been fortified to a nitric acid concentration of at least about 2 wt %. The denitrification method is useful in treating the aqueous spent acid phase from the mononitration stage of a dinitrotoluene process.
Abstract:
An adsorptive separation process for separating the para-isomers of a di-substituted benzene from a feed mixture comprising the para-isomer and at least one other isomer. One substituted group is NO.sub.2 -- and the other group is a normal hydrocarbon having less than 6 carbon atoms per molecule, the halogens, NH.sub.2 --, NO.sub.2 -- or C.tbd.N--. The process comprises contacting the feed mixture with an adsorbent comprising crystalline silica having a silica/alumina mole ratio of at least 12, selectively adsorbing substantially all of the para-isomer to the substantial exclusion of the remaining isomers and thereafter recovering high-purity para-isomer by means of desorption with an appropriate desorbent material.
Abstract:
A process is disclosed for separating 5-isopropyl-m-cresol from other isopropylated m-cresols by treating a mixture of the isopropylated m-cresols with a metal halide salt. The metal halide salt preferentially forms a complex with 5-isopropyl-m-cresol over other related closely-boiling isopropylated m-cresols in the mixture. The preferentially-formed complex of 5-isopropyl-m-cresol may then be isolated from the mixture and the complex decomposed to provide a product substantially enriched in, or substantially entirely composed of, 5-isopropyl-m-cresol. The process is particularly suitable for isolating 5-isopropyl-m-cresol from closely-boiling isomers, and diisopropylated m-cresols.
Abstract:
A method for preparing substantially pure 2,4-DNT isomer from its admixture with other DNT isomers which comprises contacting the isomer mixture with aqueous sulfuric acid at an elevated temperature, separating excess DNT isomer mixture from the sulfuric acid phase and cooling the sulfuric acid phase. Also, in a method for producing dinitrotoluenes which comprises:(a) nitrating toluene in a first nitration stage with an aqueous mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids to form an organic phase containing mononitrotoluenes and a first aqueous spent acid phase;(b) separating the organic phase from the first aqueous spent acid phase;(c) nitrating the mononitrotoluenes contained in the organic phase in a second nitration stage using a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids to form an organic phase containing dinitrotoluenes and a second aqueous spent acid phase; and(d) separating the organic phase from the second aqueous spent acid phase for recovery of the dinitrotoluene product from the organic phase;the novel feature comprising:(e) cooling at least a portion of the first or second aqueous spent acid phase to a temperature sufficient to effect crystallization of substantially pure 2,4-DNT;(f) recovering the 2,4-DNT crystals from the cooled aqueous spent acid phase; and(g) returning the portion of the cooled spent acid phase to a nitration stage.
Abstract:
A process for recovering pure 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) from a crude TNTixture containing unsymmetrical TNT isomers which comprises forming a homogeneous powder of the crude TNT and silica gel, introducing said powder at the top of a silica gel packed column, and resolving the TNT mixture into its component isomers by contacting said powder with a developing solvent system which is not reactive with the component isomers selected from the group consisting of polar organic solvents, non-polar organic solvents, and mixtures thereof having an energy of adsorption adequate to selectively adsorb the individual TNT isomers, such as a mixture of polar acetonitrile and non-polar trichloro trifluoroethane.
Abstract:
The invention concerns a process for working up an effluent containing nitro-hydroxy-aromatic compounds which comprises heating said effluent to 150.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. with the exclusion of air and oxygen and under elevated pressure. The process results in a decrease of nitro-hydroxy-aromatic compound concentration in the effluent to below 20 ppm. and the resulting material can then be fed to a microbiological sewage plant for further working up, without the microorganisms therein being killed by the bactericidally active nitro-hydroxy-aromatic compounds.
Abstract:
A method of isolating nitroform from a solution of nitric acid, nitroform, and water by adding sulfuric acid and preferentially extracting the nitroform with methylene chloride. The nitroform is then extracted from the methylene chloride solution into water. It is a particular advantage of the present method that no distillations involving nitroform are required.
Abstract:
Process for the manufacture of para-nitro-meta-cresol in high yield from directly available and inexpensive meta/para-cresol mixtures, without need heretofore for first resolving the cresol mixture to provide a separate meta-cresol reactant.The process comprises subjecting the cresol mixture to nitration, whereby para-nitro-meta-cresol is formed, and then separating the para-nitro-meta-cresol from the resulting nitration reaction mixture.In one embodiment, the cresol mixture is introduced into reaction with an aqueous acid mixture containing HNO.sub.3 and HNO.sub.2 as the only acid ingredients, under defined critical conditions of feed flow rate, temperature, acid concentrations, and reactant proportions to provide the cresol nitration reaction product mixture.
Abstract:
A process is provided for recovery and re-use of dinitrophenols employed as inhibitors of polymerization in the distillation and purification of styrene. The styrene still residues commonly referred to as tar or tars are treated with an aqueous hydroxide at a controlled pH, the phases are separated, the aqueous phase is treated with an acid and an organic solvent at a controlled pH and the resulting organic phase is recycled to a suitable point in the styrene purification system. The recycled solution is a more effective inhibitor than the dinitrophenol originally employed.
Abstract:
Improved purity is achieved in a process for separating the isomers of nitro- and halo-substituted aromatic compounds in a mixture of liquid isomers by fractional, surface crystallization from the melt, wherein the isomeric mixture is cooled until crystals form on a cooling surface. The improvement comprises conducting the fractional, surface crystallization on a polymeric, e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene, cooling surface. The process is particularly beneficial for separating paranitrochlorobenzene from a liquid isomeric liquid of ortho-, metaand para-nitrochlorobenzenes.