BMA

Two synthesis processes account for most of the hydrogen cyanide produced. The dominant commercial process for direct production of hydrogen cyanide is based on classic technology (23—32) involving the reaction of ammonia, methane (natural gas), and air over a platinum catalyst it is called the Andmssow process. The second process involves the reaction of ammonia and methane and is called the BlausAure-Methan-Ammoniak (BMA) process (30,33—35) it was developed by Degussa in Germany. Hydrogen cyanide is also obtained as a by-product in the manufacture of acrylonitrile (qv) by the ammoxidation of propjiene (Sohio process). 

In the BMA process, methane (natural gas) and ammonia are reacted without air being present (44). The reaction is carried out in tubes that are heated externally to supply the endothermic heat of reaction very similar to a reformer. Yield from ammonia and methane is above 90%. The off-gas from the converter contains more than 20 mol % hydrogen cyanide, about 70 mol % hydrogen, 3 mol % ammonia, 1 mol % methane, and about 1 mol % nitrogen from ammonia decomposition. 

After removal of the unreacted ammonia and recovery of hydrogen cyanide, the waste gas is essentially all hydrogen suitable for other chemical use. The advantages of the BMA process are the high ammonia and natural gas yields and the usehil hydrogen waste gas, but the high investment and maintenance for the converter is a decided disadvantage. 

A German process produces a high (99%) sodium cyanide assay by absorbing the gases from a BMA-type hydrogen cyanide reactor direcdy in sodium hydroxide solution (56). The resulting sodium cyanide solution is heated in a crystallizer to remove water, and form sodium cyanide crystals. 

Plants for the production of sodium cyanide from Andmssow process or from acrylonitrile synthesis by-product hydrogen cyanide are operating in the United States, Italy, Japan, the UK, and AustraUa. In Germany, sodium cyanide is produced from BMA hydrogen cyanide, and in AustraUa one plant uses Fluohmic process hydrogen cyanide. 

Sugar-beet cossettes are successfully extracted while being transported upward in a vertical tower by an arrangement of inclined plates or wings attached to an axial shaft. The action is assisted by staggered guide plates on the tower wall. The shell is filled with water that passes downward as the beets travel upward. This configuration is employed in the BMA diffusion tower (Wakeman, loc. cit.). 

Park et al. [20] reported on the synthesis of poly-(chloroprene-co-isobutyl methacrylate) and its compati-bilizing effect in immiscible polychloroprene-poly(iso-butyl methacrylate) blends. A copolymer of chloroprene rubber (CR) and isobutyl methacrylate (iBMA) poly[CP-Co-(BMA)] and a graft copolymer of iBMA and poly-chloroprene [poly(CR-g-iBMA)] were prepared for comparison. Blends of CR and PiBMA are prepared by the solution casting technique using THF as the solvent. The morphology and glass-transition temperature behavior indicated that the blend is an immiscible one. It was found that both the copolymers can improve the miscibility, but the efficiency is higher in poly(CR-Co-iBMA) than in poly(CR-g-iBMA),... 

Values of kjkli for polymerizations of EM A and BMA and higher methacrylate esters have been determined.11 lIl>1V7 l5i The extent of disproportionation increases with the size of the ester alkyl group. 

The value of ,<)// ,- 80°C) in the cross-reaction between radicals 4 and 8 has been examined.175 This system is a model for cross-termination in MMA-BMA eopolymeri/alion. The value of kjkw (1.22) is similar to that found for the self-reaction of 8(1.17) and much larger than that for the self-reaction of 4 (0.78). There is a small preference (m 1.4 fold) for the transfer of hydrogen from the butyl ester (8) to the methyl ester (4). 

A few studies have appeared on systems based on persistent nitrogen-centered radicals. Yamada et al.2"1 examined the synthesis of block polymers of S and MMA initiated by derivatives of the triphenylverdazyl radical 115. Klapper and coworkers243 have reported on the use of triazolinyl radicals (e.g. 116 and 117). The triazolinyl radicals have been used to control S, methacrylate and acrylate polymerization and for the synthesis of block copolymers based on these monomers [S,243 245 tBA,243 MMA,243 245 BMA,245 DMAEMA,24 5 TMSEMA,247 (DMAEMA-Wbc/fc-MMA),246 (DMAEMA-Woc -S)246 and (TMSEMA-6/ocfc-S)247]. Reaction conditions in these experiments were similar to those used for NMP. The triazolinyl radicals show no tendency to give disproportionation with methacrylate propagating radicals. Dispcrsitics reported arc typically in the range 1.4-1.8.2"43 246... 

Many suspension polymerization recipes have been reported/75 Some of the more successful that yield polymers of low dispersity are for MMA with 146, S, BA, MA, tBA and copolymers with 154,j7/ and BMA with I38/21 Important considerations are a catalyst that is both hydrophobic (to limit partitioning into the aqueous phase) and hydrolytically stable. 

Much has been written on RAFT polymerization under emulsion and miniemulsion conditions. Most work has focused on S polymerization,409-520 521 although polymerizations of BA,461 522 methacrylates382-409 and VAc471-472 have also been reported. The first communication on RAFT polymerization briefly mentioned the successful semi-batch emulsion polymerization of BMA with cumyl dithiobenzoate (175) to provide a polymer with a narrow molecular weight distribution.382 Additional examples and discussion of some of the important factors for successful use of RAFT polymerization in emulsion and miniemulsion were provided in a subsequent paper.409 Much research has shown that the success in RAFT emulsion polymerization depends strongly on the choice of RAFT agent and polymerization conditions.214-409-520027... 

Monomers not amenable to direct homopolymerization using a particular reagent can sometimes be copolymcrizcd. For example, NMP often fails with methacrylates (e.g. MMA, BMA), yet copolymerizalions of these monomers with S are possible even when the monomer mix is predominantly composed of the methacrylate monomer,15j This is attributed to the facility of cross propagation and the relatively low steady state concentration of propagating radicals with a terminal MMA (Section 7.4.3.1). MMA can also be copolymerized with S or acrylates at low temperature (60 C).111 Under these conditions, only deactivation of propagating radicals with a terminal MMA unit is reversible, deactivation of chains with a terminal S or acrylate unit is irreversible. Molecular weights should then be controlled by the reactivity ratios and the comonomer concentration rather than by the nitroxide/alkoxyamine concentration. 

AA sec acrylic acid abstraction sec hydrogen atom transfer abstraction v,v addition and micleophilicity 35 by aikoxy radicals 34-5, 124-5, 392 by alkoxycarbonyloxy radicals 103,127-8 by alkyl radicals 34 5, 113, 116 by f-amyloxy radicals 124 by arenethiyl radicals 132 by aryl radicals 35, 118 by benzovloxy radicals 35, 53, 120, 126 wilh MM a" 53, 120 by /-butovy radicals 35, 53, 55, 124 solvent effects 54, 55. 123 with alkenes 122 3 with ally I acrylates 122 wilh AMS 120, 123 wilh BMA 53, 123 with isopropenvl acetate 121 with MA 120 with MAN 121 with MMA 53, 55, 120.419 with VAc 121 with vinyl ethers 123... 

H-bulyl methacrylate (BMA), reaction with i-butoxy radicals 53, 123... 

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