Caustic potash production

Chlorine from Potassium Hydroxide Manufacture. One of the coproducts during the electrolytic production of potassium hydroxide employing mercury and membrane ceHs is chlorine. The combined name plate capacity for caustic potash during 1988 totaled 325,000 t/yr and growth of U.S. demand was expected to be steady at 2% through 1990 (68). 

The dye has been degraded by a fusion with caustic potash and the degradation products identified as various o-anilinyl mercaptans. They were identified and characterized by condensation with monochloroacetic acid to give the thioglycohc acids which, on acidification, were converted to well-defined crystalline lactams (2—4) together with a small amount of ji)-aminobenzoic acid. 

For the manufacturiag of potassium ethyl xanthate, 400% excess of alcohol and equimolar quantities of 50 wt % aqueous potassium hydroxide and carbon disulfide were used (77). After 30 min at 40°C, the mixture was vacuum dmm dried. The product was obtained ia near quantitative yield and assayed at 95%. It is claimed that potassium amyl xanthate can be made with almost the same ratio of reactants and 80 wt % caustic potash (78). 

Potassium benzoate [582-25-2] is produced by neutralizing benzoic acid with caustic potash. The resulting solution is processed in a fashion nearly identical to that of sodium benzoate. Product forms are also similar. 

Clemo, Perkin and Robinson have recorded the production of indole and carbazole when methylstrychnine is heated with caustic potash, and more recently a series of simple bases has been obtained by the alkaline degradation of strychnine. Of these, tryptamine (j8-3-indolylethylamine), 3-ethylindole, indole and 4-methyl-3-ethylpyridine have been identified, and a fifth purified as the picrate, CjoHuN. CgH30,N3, m.p. 192°, has been described by Clemo and by Siddiqui, but has not been identified. Tryptamine is to be expected as the Robinson formula includes the tryptamine skeleton. ... 

Methylated spirit contains, in addition to ethyl and methyl alcohols, water, fusel-oil, acetaldehyde, and acetone. It may be freed from aldehyde by boiling with a—3 per cent, solid caustic potash on the water-bath with an upright condenser for one hour, or if larger quantities are employed, a tin bottle is preferable, which is heated directly over a small flame (see Fig. 38). It is then distilled with the apparatus shown in Fig. 39. The bottle is here surmounted with a T-piece holding a thermometer. The distillation is stopped when most of the spirit has distilled and the thermometer indicates 80°. A further purification may be effected by adding a little powdered permanganate of potash and by a second distillation, but this is rarely necessary. The same method of purification may be applied to over-proof spirit, which will henceforth be called spirit as distinguished from the purified product or absolute alcohol. 

This compound is heated with caustic potash solution, yielding beta-hydroxy-coumarin. From this body, coumarin is obtained by substituting a halogen atom for the OH group, and then reducing the product in alcoholic solution with zinc-dust. 

Stage B Preparation of 17j -HydroxyEstra-4,9,11-Trien-3-one — 3 g of 17/3-benzoyloxy-estra-4,9,11 -trien-3-one, obtained as described in Stage A are dissolved in 15 cc of methanol. 0.03 g of hydroquinone is added, and the mixture Is taken to reflux while bubbling in nitrogen. Then 1.2 cc of 11% methanolic caustic potash is added and reflux is maintained for three hours, after which the reaction product Is acidified with 0.36 cc of acetic acid. 

Potassium Hydroxide (caustic potash) will work on certain chemicals and biological agents. Remarks under sodium hydroxide apply across the board to potassium hydroxide. Ammonia or Ammonium Hydroxide (household ammonia) can be used to decontaminate G nerve agents but takes longer than sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. SCBA or a special purpose mask is required when working with this product. Ammonium hydroxide needs no further mixing it is a water solution of ammonia. 

The industrial term potash can be very misleading. It can refer to potassium carbonate (K2CO3), potassium hydroxide (KOH), potassium chloride (KCl), potassium sulfate (K2SO4), potassium nitrate (KNO3), or collectively to all potassium salts and to the oxide K2O. More correctly KOH is called caustic potash and KCl is called muriate of potash. Production is recorded in weight equivalents of K2O since almost all potash is used as fertilizer and this industry quotes weight percentages of K2O in its trade. 

Oxidation with ammonium persulfate and dilute caustic soda gives bismuth tetroxide, Bi204. The same product can be obtained by using other oxidizing agents such as potassium ferricyanide and concentrated caustic potash solution. 

Lead dioxide reacts with alkalies forming various types of plumbates. Fusion with caustic soda or caustic potash yields orthoplumbates and meta-plumbates, such as Na4Pb04 or Na2Pb03 (or the corresponding potassium salts). However, when dissolved in a concentrated aqueous solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide, the product is hydroxyplumbate ... 

Reaction XXXVI. Condensation of Carbon Tetrachloride with Phenols and simultaneous Hydrolysis (Tiemann-Reimer). (B., 10, 2185.)—This reaction is closely analogous to that of the formation of hydroxy-aldehydes by means of chloroform and caustic alkali (see p. 104). A mixture of a phenol, carbon tetrachloride and caustic soda or caustic potash solution is boiled. Condensation occurs, chiefly in the para-position, but small amounts of the ortho-acids are also formed. The product, after the excess of carbon tetrachloride has been removed, is saturated with carbon dioxide and the unchanged phenol extracted with ether. The hydroxy acids are then precipitated by acidification with hydrochloric acid. 

Other processes for making chlorine include sodium manufacture, caustic potash manufacture, hydrogen chloride decomposition, the nitro-syl chloride (NOC1) process, and a process where salt is treated with nitric acid to form sodium nitrate and chlorine with nitrosyl chloride (containing 4 to 10% nitrogen tetroxide) as a by-product. The nitrosyl chloride vapor is placed in contact with oxygen to produce nitrogen tetroxide and chlorine ... 

A small, but important, variation of NaCl electrolysis substitutes KC1 as the feed. Both mercury cells and membrane cells are used for producing chlorine and KOH (caustic potash). The KOH is concentrated for sale as a 45 percent solution or as a solid containing 88 to 92 percent KOH. A big use for KOH is in the manufacture of liquid soaps and detergents. The analogous sodium soaps and detergents are generally solids. Approximately 1.5 percent of chlorine production results from the electrolysis of KC1.36... 

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