Methyl alcohol, aqueous

Formaldehyde is a gas, b.p. — 21°, and cannot obviously be stored as such moreover, it polymerises readily in the liquid and the gaseous state. The commercial preparation, formalin, is an aqueous solution containing 35-40 per cent, of formaldehyde and some methyl alcohol. The preparation of a solution of formaldehyde may be demonstrated by the following experiment. 

To obtain a maximum yield of the acid it is necessary to hydrolyse the by-product, iaoamyl iaovalerate this is most economically effected with methyl alcoholic sodium hydroxide. Place a mixture of 20 g. of sodium hydroxide pellets, 25 ml. of water and 225 ml. of methyl alcohol in a 500 ml. round-bottomed flask fitted with a reflux (double surface) condenser, warm until the sodium hydroxide dissolves, add the ester layer and reflux the mixture for a period of 15 minutes. Rearrange the flask for distillation (Fig. II, 13, 3) and distil off the methyl alcohol until the residue becomes pasty. Then add about 200 ml. of water and continue the distfllation until the temperature reaches 98-100°. Pour the residue in the flask, consisting of an aqueous solution of sodium iaovalerate, into a 600 ml. beaker and add sufficient water to dissolve any solid which separates. Add slowly, with stirring, a solution of 15 ml. of concentrated sulphuric acid in 50 ml. of water, and extract the hberated acid with 25 ml. of carbon tetrachloride. Combine this extract with extract (A), dry with a httle anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate, and distil off the carbon tetrachloride (Fig. II, 13, 4 150 ml. distiUing or Claisen flask), and then distil the residue. Collect the wovaleric acid 172-176°. The yield is 56 g. 

Place 425 ml. of concentrated ammonia solution (sp. gr. 0-88) in a 500 ml. round-bottomed flask and add slowly 75 g. of a-bromocaproic acid (Section 111,126). Stopper the flask tightly and allow it to stand in a warm place (50-55°) for 30 hours. Filter the amino acid at the pump and keep the filtrate A) separately. Wash the amino acid (ca. 26 g.) well with methyl alcohol to remove the ammonium bromide present. Evaporate the aqueous filtrate (A) almost to dryness on a steam bath. 

Some neutral compounds (e.g., methyl alcohol) cannot be salted out with potassium carbonate distillation of the saturated aqueous potassium carbonate solution frequently yields the organic compound in a comparatively pure state, or at least in sufllciently concentrated a form to enable certain derivatives to be prepared. 

Although many problems still remain to be overcome to make the process practical (not the least of which is the question of the corrosive nature of aqueous HBr and the minimization of formation of any higher brominated methanes), the selective conversion of methane to methyl alcohol without going through syn-gas has promise. Furthermore, the process could be operated in relatively low-capital-demand-ing plants (in contrast to syn-gas production) and in practically any location, making transportation of natural gas from less accessible locations in the form of convenient liquid methyl alcohol possible. 

Besides chemical catalytic reduction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen, which is already possible in the laboratory, we are exploring a new approach to recycling carbon dioxide into methyl alcohol or related oxygenates via aqueous eleetrocatalytic reduction using what can be called a regenerative fuel cell system. The direct methanol fuel cell... 

In addition to high aqueous solubility (7% at 30°C and 38% at 100°C), HgCl2 is very soluble in methyl alcohol (53% at 36°C), ethyl alcohol (34% at 31°C), and amyl alcohol (ca 10% at 30°C). It also is soluble in acetone, formic acid, the lower acetate esters, and other polar organic solvents. 

Aqueous formaldehyde, known as formalin, is usually 37 wt % formaldehyde, though more concentrated solutions are available. Formalin is the general-purpose formaldehyde of commerce suppHed unstabiLized or methanol-stabilized. The latter may be stored at room temperature without precipitation of soHd formaldehyde polymers because it contains 5 —10% methyl alcohol. The uiiinhibited type must be maintained at a temperature of at least 32°C to prevent the separation of soHd formaldehyde polymers. Large quantities are often suppHed in more concentrated solutions. Formalin at 44,... 

They show good to excellent resistance to highly aromatic solvents, polar solvents, water and salt solutions, aqueous acids, dilute alkaline solutions, oxidative environments, amines, and methyl alcohol. Care must be taken in choice of proper gum and compound. Hexafluoropropylene-containing polymers are not recommended for use in contact with ammonia, strong caustic (50% sodium hydroxide above 70°C), and certain polar solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone and low molecular weight esters. However, perfluoroelastomers can withstand these fluids. Propylene-containing fluorocarbon polymers can tolerate strong caustic. 

TABLE 2-26 Partial Pressures of H O and CH3OH over Aqueous Solutions of Methyl Alcohol ... 

The most common impurities are the corresponding acid and hydroxy compound (i.e. alcohol or phenol), and water. A liquid ester from a carboxylic acid is washed with 2N sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide to remove acid material, then shaken with calcium chloride to remove ethyl or methyl alcohols (if it is a methyl or ethyl ester). It is dried with potassium carbonate or magnesium sulfate, and distilled. Fractional distillation then removes residual traces of hydroxy compounds. This method does not apply to esters of inorganic acids (e.g. dimethyl sulfate) which are more readily hydrolysed in aqueous solution when heat is generated in the neutralisation of the excess acid. In such cases, several fractional distillations, preferably under vacuum, are usually sufficient. 

Cellobiose was prepared first by Skraup and Konig by the saponification of the octaacetate with alcoholic potassium hydroxide, and the method was improved by Pringsheim and Merkatz.3 Aqueous barium hydroxide also has been employed for the purpose, and methyl alcoholic ammonia has been used extensively for the hydrolysis of carbohydrate acetates. The method of catalytic hydrolysis with a small quantity of sodium methylate was introduced by Zemplen,i who considered the action to be due to the addition of the reagent to the ester-carbonyl groups of the sugar acetate and the decomposition of the addition compound by reaction with alcohol. The present procedure, reported by Zemplen, Gerecs, and Hadacsy, is a considerable improvement over the original method (see Note 2). 

Chemical Reactivity - Reactivity with Water Reacts slowly to form flammable hydrogen gas, which can accumulate in closed area Reactivity with Common Materials Corrosive to natural rubber, some synthetic rubbers, some greases and some lubricants Stability During Transport Stable Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics Flush with 3% aqueous ammonia solution, then with water. Methyl alcohol may also be used Polymerization Not pertinent Inhibitor of Polymerization Not pertinent. 

A s/cr.s possess a fruity smell and usually distil without decomposition. Boil with refltiK for 5 minutes on the water-btith a few c.c. of the licpiid with 3 to 4 volumes of a ten pei cent, solution of ctLListic potash in methyl alcohol and pour into water. Notice if the liquid dissolves and has lost the odour of the ester. An ester will be completely hydrolysed, and if the alcohol is soluble in water a clear solution will be obtained. If the alcohol is vol.atile and the solution neiitialised w ith sulphuric acid. and evaporated on the water-bath, the alkali salt of the organic acid mixed with pottissium sulphate will be left and the acid may be investigated as desciibed under 1. If it is required to. ascertain the nature of the alcohol in the ester, hydrolysis must fig effected with a strong aqueous solution of caustic potash... 

Preparation of the Final Isethionate Product The diisethionate may be produced by treating a solution of the dihydrochloride with alkali carbonate, separating and dissolving the resultant base in aqueous isethionic acid and precipitating the diisethionate with acetone. The product may be purified by dissolving in hot methyl alcohol containing a trace of water followed by precipitation by the cautious addition of acetone. The diisethionate has a MP of 286°C. 

The combined liquors, which comprise an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution of 3-amino-methyl-pyridine hydrochloride, are then heated to a temperature of 60° to 65°C, and ethyl nitrite gas is passed into the heated solution. The ethyl nitrite is generated by placing 20 liters of 90% ethyl alcohol in a suitable vessel, diluting with 200 liters of water, and, while stirring, adding to the dilute alcohol 18.3 kg of nitrosyl chloride at the rate of 2.25 kg per hour. (The process using methyl nitrite is carried out by substituting a stoichiometrically equivalent quantity of methyl alcohol for the ethyl alcohol.)... 

It will be seen that the correlation that was found in aqueous solution is now extended to solutes in methyl alcohol. The large increment in the 1 W. M. Latimer and C. M. Slansky, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 62, 2019 (1940). 

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