Chloroprene Production

Chloroprene production can be equated approximately to the amount of polymer produced. World production of dry polychloroprene was 135 thousand tonnes in 1960, 254 thousand tonnes in 1970, 314 thousand tonnes in 1980 and 321 thousand tonnes in 1989 (Stewart, 1993). World polychloroprene capacity in 1983 was reported to be (thousand tonnes) United States, 213 Germany, 60 France, 40 United Kingdom, 30 Japan, 85 and centrally plarmed economy countries, 220 (Kleinschmidt, 1986). Current capacities are reported to be (thousand tonnes) United States, 163 Germany, 60 France, 40 United Kingdom, 33 Japan, 88 central Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, 40 and People s Republic of China, 20 (International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, 1997). 

Arevshatyan, GS. (1972) Prophylactic care of the oral cavities of workers engaged in chloroprene production. Biol. Zh. Arm., 25, 115-117 (in Russian)... 

Among the solutions that have not yet reached the industrial stage, hut have been proposed to improve the economics of chloroprene production, various attempts have... 

Chloroprene production Economic data (France conditions, mid-1986) Production capacity 30,000 t/ycar... 

Neoprene was manufactured via the acetylene route for many years. However, the technology is difficult and the starting material, acetylene, gradually increased in price over the years. By 1960 a second, less expensive method of chloroprene production had been developed and commercialized. The second, preferred method involves the production of chloroprene from butadiene via a chlorination step. 

Chloro-l,3-butadiene (CB) obtained as a by-product in the course of chloroprene production is copolymerizable with 1,3-butadiene by... 

Chloro 1 3 butadiene (chloroprene) is the monomer from which the elastomer neoprene IS prepared 2 Chloro 1 3 butadiene is the thermodynamically controlled product formed by addi tion of hydrogen chloride to vinylacetylene (H2C=CHC=CH) The principal product under conditions of kinetic control is the allenic chlonde 4 chloro 1 2 butadiene Suggest a mechanism to account for the formation of each product... 

Calcium carbide has been used in steel production to lower sulfur emissions when coke with high sulfur content is used. The principal use of carbide remains hydrolysis for acetylene (C2H2) production. Acetylene is widely used as a welding gas, and is also a versatile intermediate for the synthesis of many organic chemicals. Approximately 450,000 t of acetylene were used aimuaHy in the early 1960s for the production of such chemicals as acrylonitrile, acrylates, chlorinated solvents, chloroprene, vinyl acetate, and vinyl chloride. Since then, petroleum-derived olefins have replaced acetylene in these uses. 

Cuprous salts catalyze the oligomerization of acetylene to vinylacetylene and divinylacetylene (38). The former compound is the raw material for the production of chloroprene monomer and polymers derived from it. Nickel catalysts with the appropriate ligands smoothly convert acetylene to benzene (39) or 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene (40—42). Polymer formation accompanies these transition-metal catalyzed syntheses. 

At one time, the only commercial route to 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene (chloroprene), the monomer for neoprene, was from acetylene (see Elastomers, synthetic). In the United States, Du Pont operated two plants in which acetylene was dimeri2ed to vinylacetylene with a cuprous chloride catalyst and the vinyl-acetylene reacted with hydrogen chloride to give 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene. This process was replaced in 1970 with a butadiene-based process in which butadiene is chlorinated and dehydrochlorinated to yield the desired product (see Chlorocarbonsandchlorohydrocarbons). 

Rubbers. Plasticizers have been used in mbber processing and formulations for many years (8), although phthaHc and adipic esters have found Htde use since cheaper alternatives, eg, heavy petroleum oils, coal tars, and other predominandy hydrocarbon products, are available for many types of mbber. Esters, eg, DOA, DOP, and DOS, can be used with latex mbber to produce large reductions in T. It has been noted (9) that the more polar elastomers such as nitrile mbber and chloroprene are insufficiendy compatible with hydrocarbons and requite a more specialized type of plasticizer, eg, a phthalate or adipate ester. Approximately 50% of nitrile mbber used in Western Europe is plasticized at 10—15 phr (a total of 5000—6000 t/yr), and 25% of chloroprene at ca 10 phr (ca 2000 t/yr) is plasticized. Usage in other elastomers is very low although may increase due to toxicological concerns over polynuclear aromatic compounds (9). 

Synthetic. The main types of elastomeric polymers commercially available in latex form from emulsion polymerization are butadiene—styrene, butadiene—acrylonitrile, and chloroprene (neoprene). There are also a number of specialty latices that contain polymers that are basically variations of the above polymers, eg, those to which a third monomer has been added to provide a polymer that performs a specific function. The most important of these are products that contain either a basic, eg, vinylpyridine, or an acidic monomer, eg, methacrylic acid. These latices are specifically designed for tire cord solutioning, papercoating, and carpet back-sizing. 

Pyrolysis. Vinyl chloride is more stable than saturated chloroalkanes to thermal pyrolysis, which is why nearly all vinyl chloride made commercially comes from thermal dehydrochlorination of EDC. When vinyl chloride is heated to 450°C, only small amounts of acetylene form. Litde conversion of vinyl chloride occurs, even at 525—575°C, and the main products are chloroprene [126-99-8] and acetylene. The presence of HCl lowers the amount of chloroprene formed. 

Unreacted EDC recovered from the pyrolysis product stream contains a variety of cracking by-products. A number of these, eg, trichloroethylene, chloroprene, and benzene, are not easily removed by simple distillation and require additional treatment (78). Chloroprene can build up in the light ends... 

By-products from EDC pyrolysis typically include acetjiene, ethylene, methyl chloride, ethyl chloride, 1,3-butadiene, vinylacetylene, benzene, chloroprene, vinyUdene chloride, 1,1-dichloroethane, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane [71-55-6] and other chlorinated hydrocarbons (78). Most of these impurities remain with the unconverted EDC, and are subsequendy removed in EDC purification as light and heavy ends. The lightest compounds, ethylene and acetylene, are taken off with the HCl and end up in the oxychlorination reactor feed. The acetylene can be selectively hydrogenated to ethylene. The compounds that have boiling points near that of vinyl chloride, ie, methyl chloride and 1,3-butadiene, will codistiU with the vinyl chloride product. Chlorine or carbon tetrachloride addition to the pyrolysis reactor feed has been used to suppress methyl chloride formation, whereas 1,3-butadiene, which interferes with PVC polymerization, can be removed by treatment with chlorine or HCl, or by selective hydrogenation. 

Chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene), [126-99-8] was first obtained as a by-product from tbe synthesis of divinylacetylene (1). Wben a mbbery polymer was found to form spontaneously, investigations were begun tbat prompdy defined tbe two methods of synthesis that have since been the basis of commercial production (2), and the first successbil synthetic elastomer. Neoprene, or DuPrene as it was first called, was introduced in 1932. Production of chloroprene today is completely dependent on the production of the polymer. The only other use accounting for significant volume is the synthesis of 2,3-dichloro-l,3-butadiene, which is used as a monomer in selected copolymerizations with chloroprene. 

Dicbloro-l,3-butadiene [1653-19-6] is a favored comonomer to decrease the regularity and crystallization of chloroprene polymers. It is one of the few monomers that will copolymerize with chloroprene at a satisfactory rate without severe inhibition. It is prepared from by-products or related intermediates. It is also prepared in several steps from chloroprene beginning with hydrochlorination. Subsequent chlorination to 2,3,4-trichloto-1-butene, followed by dehydrochlorination leads to the desired monomer in good yield if polymerization is prevented. 

The vinylacetylene [689-97-4] route to chloroprene has been described elsewhere (14). It is no longer practical because of costs except where inexpensive by-product acetylene and existing equipment ate available (see Acetylene-DERIVED chemicals). In the production of chloroprene from butadiene [106-99-0], there are three essential steps, chlorination, isomerization, and caustic dehydrochlorination of the 3,3-dichloro-l-butene, as shown by the following equations Chlorination... 

Except for the solvent process above, the cmde product obtained is a mixture of chloroprene, residual dichlorobutene, dimers, and minor by-products. Depending on the variant employed, this stream can be distiUed either before or after decantation of water to separate chloroprene from the higher boiling impurities. When the concentration of 1-chloro-1,3-butadiene [627-22-5] is in excess of that allowed for polymerisation, more efficient distillation is required siace the isomers differ by only about seven degrees ia boiling poiat. The latter step may be combiaed with repurifying monomer recovered from polymerisation. Reduced pressure is used for final purification of the monomer. All streams except final polymerisation-grade monomer are inhibited to prevent polymerisation. 

Uninhibited chloroprene suitable for polymerisation must be stored at low temperature (<10° C) under nitrogen if quaUty is to be maintained. Otherwise, dimers or oxidation products are formed and polymerisation activity is unpredictable. Insoluble, autocatalytic "popcorn" polymer can also be formed at ambient or higher temperature without adequate inhibition. For longer term storage, inhibition is required. Phenothiasine [92-84-2] / fZ-butylcatechol [2743-78-17, picric acid [88-89-17, and the ammonium salt of /V-nitroso-/V-pheny1hydroxy1 amine [135-20-6] have been recommended. 

There are only a limited number of commercial apphcations of bulk or solution polymerization of chloroprene. These involve graft polymerization of adhesives and production of Hquid polymers. 

Other Types of Polymerization. Nonradical polymerization has not produced commercially useful products, although a large variety of polymerization systems have been tested. The stmctural factors that activate chloroprene toward radical polymerization often retard polymerization by other mechanisms. 

The process for manufacture of a chloroprene sulfur copolymer, Du Pont type GN, illustrates the principles of the batch process (77,78). In this case, sulfur is used to control polymer molecular weight. The copolymer formed initially is carried to fairly high conversion, gelled, and must be treated with a peptising agent to provide a final product of the proper viscosity. Key control parameters are the temperature of polymerisation, the conversion of monomer and the amount/type of modifier used. 

The type of chloroprene polymers used is perhaps best illustrated by the variety of special products, designed for adhesive appHcations, that Du Pont has developed. These are described ia Table 8. Standard polymer grades are also often used, especially to modify adhesive properties and to reduce cost. 

Neoprene latexes contain 0.5 to 0.02% residual chloroprene depending on the specific latex type. The amount of free alkaH in the water phase of latexes varies from 0.1 to 0.08% depending on type and age of the material. Eye protection and appropriate skin protection have been recommended for use in situations where splashes or spills are possible. Toxicity and safe handling practices have been recommended for Du Pont types (171). Since compositions may vary with other manufacturers, specific information should be obtained for other products. 

Other uses of HCI are legion and range from the purification of fine silica for the ceramics industry, and the refining of oils, fats and waxes, to the manufacture of chloroprene mbbers, PVC plastics, industrial solvents and organic intermediates, the production of viscose rayon yam and staple fibre, and the wet processing of textiles (where hydrochloric acid is used as a sour to neutralize residual alkali and remove metallic and other impurities). 

Butadiene is by far the most important monomer for synthetic rubber production. It can be polymerized to polybutadiene or copolymerized with styrene to styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). Butadiene is an important intermediate for the synthesis of many chemicals such as hexa-methylenediamine and adipic acid. Both are monomers for producing nylon. Chloroprene is another butadiene derivative for the synthesis of neoprene rubber. 

Butadiene is not only the most important monomer for synthetic ruh-her production, hut also a chemical intermediate with a high potential for producing useful compounds such as sulfolane hy reaction with SO2, 1,4-hutanediol hy acetoxylation-hydrogenation, and chloroprene hy chlori-nation-dehydrochlorination. 

A number of different synthetic rubbers are produced commercially by diene polymerization. Both cis- and frrms-polyisoprene can be made, and the synthetic rubber thus produced is similar to the natural material. Chloroprene (2-chloro-l,3-butadiene) is polymerized to yield neoprene, an excellent, although expensive, synthetic rubber with good weather resistance. Neoprene is used in the production of industrial hoses and gloves, among other things. 

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