Formaldehyde catalysts

Thermosetting Reactive Polymers. Materials used as thermosetting polymers include reactive monomers such as urea—formaldehyde, phenoHcs, polyesters, epoxides, and vinyls, which form a polymerized material when mixed with a catalyst. The treated waste forms a sponge-like material which traps the soHd particles, but not the Hquid fraction the waste must usually be dried and placed in containers for disposal. Because the urea—formaldehyde catalysts are strongly acidic, urea-based materials are generally not suitable for metals that can leach in the untrapped Hquid fractions. Thermosetting processes have greater utiHty for radioactive materials and acid wastes. 

Use Thermoplastic resins by copolymerization with urea with formaldehyde catalyst. 

Chauve) A, Coutty, R. Manx, K, Petttpas, C, Select best formaldehyde catalyst Hydrocarbon Processing, 52 (9) 179-184 (1973). 

Crosslinking with formaldehyde Catalyst, 2 % zinc chloride in wood, then exposed to para-formaldehyde heated to 120°C for 20 min ASE 85 % (4 % weight increase) drastic loss in toughness and abrasion resistance None... 

Example No. Phenol/ Formaldehyde Catalyst, Wt % on Phenol % Water Reflux Temp °C Reflux Time (hrs) Yield % on Phenol Ortho Content... 

A topic of current interest is that of methane activation to give ethane or selected oxidation products such as methanol or formaldehyde. Oxide catalysts are used, and there may be mechanistic connections with the Fischer-Tropsch system (see Ref. 285). 

The palladium - barium sulphate catalyst Is prepared by treating a suspension of20g. of barium sulphate (which has been precipitated in hot solution) in 400 ml. of hot water with a solution of I - 7 g. of palladium chloride (equivalent to I - 0 g. of palladium) in 50 ml. of water and with I - 5 ml. of 40 per cent, formaldehyde solution. The mixture is rendered faintly alkaline to litmus by the addition of sodium hydroxide solution and then boiled for a short time. When the supernatant liquid is clear, the grey precipitate is filtered oS, and wa.shed with hot water until the... 

Method A. Cool a solution of the nitrate-free dichloride, prepared from or equivalent to 5 0 g. of palladium or platinum, in 50 ml. of water and 5 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid in a freezing mixture, and treat it with 50 ml. of formahn (40 per cent, formaldehyde) and 11 g. of the carrier (charcoal or asbestos). Stir the mixture mechanically and add a solution of 50 g. of potassium hydroxide in 50 ml. of water, keeping the temperature below 5°. When the addition is complete, raise the temperature to 60° for 15 minutes. Wash the catalyst thoroughly by decantation with water and finally with dilute acetic acid, collect on a suction filter, and wash with hot water until free from chloride or alkali. Dry at 100° and store in a desiccator. 

Method B. For some purposes a shghtly more active catalyst is obtained when it is prepared in more concentrated solutions. The procedure is the same as above, but the volumes of solution for 5 g. of metal are dilute acid, 25 ml. formaldehyde, 35 ml. potassium hydroxide, 32 g. in 32 ml. of water. 

The catalyst is also employed in the form of the finely-divided metal deposited upon activated carbon (usually containing 5 or 10 per cent. Pd) two methods of preparation are described, in one reduction is effected with alkaline formaldehyde solution and in the other with hydrogen ... 

Catalysts reduced with formaldehyde contain no adsorbed hydrogen and are less pyrophoric. 

C. Palladium on carbon catalyst (5 per cent. Pd). Suspend 41-5 g. of nitric acid - washed activated carbon in 600 ml. of water in a 2-litre beaker and heat to 80°. Add a solution of 4 1 g. of anhydrous palladium chloride (1) in 10 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 25 ml. of water (prepared as in A), followed by 4 ml. of 37 per cent, formaldehyde solution. Stir the suspension mechanically, render it alkaUne to litmus with 30 per cent, sodium hydroxide solution and continue the stirring for a further 5 minutes. Filter off the catalyst on a Buchner funnel, wash it ten times with 125 ml. portions of water, and dry and store as in B. The yield is 46 g. 

Many low molecular weight aldehydes and ketones are important industrial chem icals Formaldehyde a starting material for a number of plastics is prepared by oxida tion of methanol over a silver or iron oxide/molybdenum oxide catalyst at elevated temperature... 

The reaction conditions can be varied so that only one of those monomers is formed. 1-Hydroxy-methylurea and l,3-bis(hydroxymethyl)urea condense in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce urea formaldehyde resins. A wide variety of resins can be obtained by careful selection of the pH, reaction temperature, reactant ratio, amino monomer, and degree of polymerization. If the reaction is carried far enough, an infusible polymer network is produced. 

Formaldehyde polymerizes even without added catalyst, but it is possible that traces of formic acid act as adventitious catalysts in this system. 

The primary adhesive used ia hardwood plywood is urea—formaldehyde (UF) mixed with wheat flour as an extender to improve spreadabiUty, reduce penetration, and provide dry-out resistance. A catalyst may also be added to UF resias to speed the cure or to cause the UF to cure. Scavengers also may be added to reduce formaldehyde emissions from finished panels. If more water-resistance is requited using a UF bond, small amounts of melamine maybe added, producing a melamine—urea—formaldehyde (MUF) adhesive. 

The base-catalyzed reaction of acetaldehyde with excess formaldehyde [50-00-0] is the commercial route to pentaerythritol [115-77-5]. The aldol condensation of three moles of formaldehyde with one mole of acetaldehyde is foUowed by a crossed Cannizzaro reaction between pentaerythrose, the intermediate product, and formaldehyde to give pentaerythritol (57). The process proceeds to completion without isolation of the intermediate. Pentaerythrose [3818-32-4] has also been made by condensing acetaldehyde and formaldehyde at 45°C using magnesium oxide as a catalyst (58). The vapor-phase reaction of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde at 475°C over a catalyst composed of lanthanum oxide on siHca gel gives acrolein [107-02-8] (59). 

Reactions with Ammonia and Amines. Acetaldehyde readily adds ammonia to form acetaldehyde—ammonia. Diethyl amine [109-87-7] is obtained when acetaldehyde is added to a saturated aqueous or alcohoHc solution of ammonia and the mixture is heated to 50—75°C in the presence of a nickel catalyst and hydrogen at 1.2 MPa (12 atm). Pyridine [110-86-1] and pyridine derivatives are made from paraldehyde and aqueous ammonia in the presence of a catalyst at elevated temperatures (62) acetaldehyde may also be used but the yields of pyridine are generally lower than when paraldehyde is the starting material. The vapor-phase reaction of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and ammonia at 360°C over oxide catalyst was studied a 49% yield of pyridine and picolines was obtained using an activated siHca—alumina catalyst (63). Brown polymers result when acetaldehyde reacts with ammonia or amines at a pH of 6—7 and temperature of 3—25°C (64). Primary amines and acetaldehyde condense to give Schiff bases CH2CH=NR. The Schiff base reverts to the starting materials in the presence of acids. 

Acetylation of acetaldehyde to ethyUdene diacetate [542-10-9], a precursor of vinyl acetate, has long been known (7), but the condensation of formaldehyde [50-00-0] and acetic acid vapors to furnish acryflc acid [97-10-7] is more recent (30). These reactions consume relatively more energy than other routes for manufacturing vinyl acetate or acryflc acid, and thus are not likely to be further developed. Vapor-phase methanol—methyl acetate oxidation using simultaneous condensation to yield methyl acrylate is still being developed (28). A vanadium—titania phosphate catalyst is employed in that process. 

Although stoichiometric ethynylation of carbonyl compounds with metal acetyUdes was known as early as 1899 (9), Reppe s contribution was the development of catalytic ethynylation. Heavy metal acetyUdes, particularly cuprous acetyUde, were found to cataly2e the addition of acetylene to aldehydes. Although ethynylation of many aldehydes has been described (10), only formaldehyde has been catalyticaHy ethynylated on a commercial scale. Copper acetjlide is not effective as catalyst for ethynylation of ketones. For these, and for higher aldehydes, alkaline promoters have been used. 

The reactors were thick-waked stainless steel towers packed with a catalyst containing copper and bismuth oxides on a skiceous carrier. This was activated by formaldehyde and acetylene to give the copper acetyUde complex that functioned as the tme catalyst. Acetylene and an aqueous solution of formaldehyde were passed together through one or more reactors at about 90—100°C and an acetylene partial pressure of about 500—600 kPa (5—6 atm) with recycling as required. Yields of butynediol were over 90%, in addition to 4—5% propargyl alcohol. 

Secondary acetylenic alcohols are prepared by ethynylation of aldehydes higher than formaldehyde. Although copper acetyUde complexes will cataly2e this reaction, the rates are slow and the equiUbria unfavorable. The commercial products are prepared with alkaline catalysts, usually used in stoichiometric amounts. 

The Reaction. Acrolein has been produced commercially since 1938. The first commercial processes were based on the vapor-phase condensation of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde (1). In the 1940s a series of catalyst developments based on cuprous oxide and cupric selenites led to a vapor-phase propylene oxidation route to acrolein (7,8). In 1959 Shell was the first to commercialize this propylene oxidation to acrolein process. These early propylene oxidation catalysts were capable of only low per pass propylene conversions (ca 15%) and therefore required significant recycle of unreacted propylene (9—11). 

The reaction is generally carried out at atmospheric pressure and at 350—400°C. A variety of catalysts, eg, bases and metal salts and oxides on siUca or alumina—sihcates, have been patented (86—91). Conversions are in the 30—70% range and selectivities in the 60—90% range, depending on the catalyst and the ratio of formaldehyde to acetate. 

The procedure is technically feasible, but high recovery of unconverted raw materials is required for the route to be practical. Its development depends on the improvement of catalysts and separation methods and on the avaHabiUty of low cost acetic acid and formaldehyde. Both raw materials are dependent on ample supply of low cost methanol. 

The cyanoacryhc esters are prepared via the Knoevenagel condensation reaction (5), in which the corresponding alkyl cyanoacetate reacts with formaldehyde in the presence of a basic catalyst to form a low molecular weight polymer. The polymer slurry is acidified and the water is removed. Subsequendy, the polymer is cracked and redistilled at a high temperature onto a suitable stabilizer combination to prevent premature repolymerization. Strong protonic or Lewis acids are normally used in combination with small amounts of a free-radical stabilizer. 

Phenolic Resins. Phenohc resins (qv) are formed by the reaction of phenol [108-95-2] C H O, and formaldehyde [50-00-0] CH2O. If basic conditions and an excess of formaldehyde are used, the result is a resole phenohc resin, which will cure by itself Hberating water. If an acid catalyst and an excess of phenol are used, the result is a novolac phenohc resin, which is not self-curing. Novolac phenohc resins are typically formulated to contain a curing agent which is most often a material known as hexamethylenetetraamine [100-97-0] C H22N4. Phenohc resin adhesives are found in film or solution... 

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