Processing nitrobenzene hydrogenation

Additional catalytic processes. Nitrobenzene is hydrogenated to aniline (U.S. Patent 2,891,094). Melamine and isophthalouitrile are produced in catalytic fluidized-bed readers. Badger has announced a... 

Diaminodiphenyl derivatives can be obtained from appropriately substituted nitrobenzenes by a rather dated process of alkaline reduction with zinc powder/ sodium hydroxide solution, which affords hydrazobenzene. A more recent method uses a catalytic reduction process with hydrogen and specifically deactivated catalysts of precious metals. Subsequent acid-catalyzed rearrangement with hydrochloric acid yields the hydrochloride of the target diamine ... 

As an example of the vapor-phase process, nitrobenzene vapor and hydrogen are mixed and passed through a fluidized bed of copper-on-sihca catalyst at 280—290°C and 500 kPa (5 atm). The reaction gas is filtered, cooled to condense aniline and water, and the excess hydrogen is recyded. The yidd reported is 99.5% (42). The catalyst bed is regenerated by passing hot air through the bed to bum off the carbonaceous deposits. The aniline and water condensate are separated, and the latter is sent to the wastewater column. The organic phase is dried and the product is distilled. 

Nitrobenzene hydrogenation Aniline 1.8 270 Cu Nitroben- zene/H2 Huidized-bed process... 

An environmentally benign synthesis of 4-aminodiphenylamine was developed by Monsanto. In this process, nitrobenzene and aniline are heated in presence of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide to give condensation products as tetramethyl ammonium salts, which on catalytic hydrogenation give 4-aminodiphenylamine while regenerating tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (Scheme 12). 

Alkanes are photo-oxidized by nitrobenzene in a process of hydrogen abstraction followed by reaction of the resulting alkyl radical with nitrobenzene ketones and alcohols are obtained in good yield. ... 

The single-step -duoroaruline [31-40-4] process based on duorodeoxygenation of nitrobenzene (via in situ generation of /V-phenylhydroxyl amine) in anhydrous hydrogen duoride (94—96) has not been commercialized primarily due to concurrent formation of aniline, as well as limited catalyst life. The potential attractiveness of this approach is evidenced by numerous patents (97—101). Concurrent interest has been shown in the two-step process based on /V-phenylhydroxylamine (HF-Bamberger reaction) (102—104). 

The reduction of the nitro group to yield aniline is the most commercially important reaction of nitrobenzene. Usually the reaction is carried out by the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene, either in the gas phase or in solution, or by using iron borings and dilute hydrochloric acid (the Bechamp process). Depending on the conditions, the reduction of nitrobenzene can lead to a variety of products. The series of reduction products is shown in Figure 1 (see Amines byreduction). Nitrosobenzene, /V-pbenylbydroxylamine, and aniline are primary reduction products. Azoxybenzene is formed by the condensation of nitrosobenzene and /V-pbenylbydroxylamine in alkaline solutions, and azoxybenzene can be reduced to form azobenzene and hydrazobenzene. The reduction products of nitrobenzene under various conditions ate given in Table 2. 

Dehydrogenation processes in particular have been studied, with conversions in most cases well beyond thermodynamic equihbrium Ethane to ethylene, propane to propylene, water-gas shirt reaction CO -I- H9O CO9 + H9, ethylbenzene to styrene, cyclohexane to benzene, and others. Some hydrogenations and oxidations also show improvement in yields in the presence of catalytic membranes, although it is not obvious why the yields should be better since no separation is involved hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline, of cyclopentadiene to cyclopentene, of furfural to furfuryl alcohol, and so on oxidation of ethylene to acetaldehyde, of methanol to formaldehyde, and so on. 

The main process for producing aniline is the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene ... 

Figure 4.5. (a) Process flow diagram hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline (b) Information flow diagram... 

Silverstein, J. L. et al., Loss Prev., 1981,14, 78 Nitrobenzene was washed with dilute (5%) sulfuric acid to remove amines, and became contaminated with some tarry emulsion that had formed. After distillation, the hot tarry acidic residue attacked the iron vessel with hydrogen evolution, and an explosion eventually occurred. It was later found that addition of the nitrobenzene to the diluted acid did not give emulsions, while the reversed addition did. A final wash with sodium carbonate solution was added to the process [1]. During hazard evaluation of a continuous adiabatic process for manufacture of nitrobenzene, it was found that the latter with 85% sulfuric acid gave a violent exotherm above 200° C, and with 69% acid a mild exotherm at 150- 170°C [2],... 

Amination of aromatic nitro compounds is a very important process in both industry and laboratory. A simple synthesis of 4-aminodiphenyl amine (4-ADPA) has been achieved by utilizing a nucleophilic aromatic substitution. 4-ADPA is a key intermediate in the rubber chemical family of antioxidants. By means of a nucleophibc attack of the anilide anion on a nitrobenzene, a o-complex is formed first, which is then converted into 4-nitrosodiphenylamine and 4-nitrodiphenylamine by intra- and intermolecular oxidation. Catalytic hydrogenation finally affords 4-ADPA. Azobenzene, which is formed as a by-product, can be hydrogenated to aniline and thus recycled into the process. Switching this new atom-economy route allows for a dramatic reduction of chemical waste (Scheme 9.9).73 The United States Environmental Protection Agency gave the Green Chemistry Award for this process in 1998.74... 

Nixan [Nitrocyclohexane] A process for making cyclohexane oxime (an intermediate in the manufacture of nylon) from benzene by liquid phase nitration, followed by hydrogenation of the nitrobenzene. Invented by Du Pont and operated from 1963 to 1967. 

Catalytic hydrogenation processes in which copper is the catalytic agent have also been recently introduced into industrial practice for the preparation of aniline from nitrobenzene. 

The production of aniline from nitrobenzene proceeds in such a way that the reactive hydrogen is added to the nitro-group, the oxygen is eliminated as water, and finally hydrogen is again added on. The process is not a simple one and involves a series of intermediate stages ... 

Both CIDNP and ESR techniques were used to study the mechanism for the photoreduction of 4-cyano-l-nitrobenzene in 2-propanol5. Evidence was obtained for hydrogen abstractions by triplet excited nitrobenzene moieties and for the existence of ArNHO, Ai N( )211 and hydroxyl amines. Time-resolved ESR experiments have also been carried out to elucidate the initial process in the photochemical reduction of aromatic nitro compounds6. CIDEP (chemically induced dynamic electron polarization) effects were observed for nitrobenzene anion radicals in the presence of triethylamine and the triplet mechanism was confirmed. 

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