Sodium bicarbonate, ethylene glycol from

Bisethylenedioxypregn-5-ene. Method A. A mixture of progesterone (10 g), freshly distilled ethylene glycol (80 ml) and benzene (350 ml) is slowly distilled for 15 min to remove traces of water. p-Toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate (0.3 g) is added and the mixture is heated under reflux with stirring for 5 hr with a water separator. Saturated sodium bicarbonate solution is added to the cooled mixture and the benzene layer is separated. The organic layer is washed twice with water, dried and evaporated in vacuo. The residue is crystallized twice from acetone-methanol to give 4.15 g (32%) of bisketal, mp 178-181°. 

SODIUM BICARBONATE (497-19-8) CHNaOj Noncombustible solid. Aqueous solution is a strong base. Violent reaction with acids evolving carbon dioxide. Violent reaction with finely divided aluminum, fluorine, lithium. Incompatible with organic anhydrides, acrylates, alcohols, aldehydes, alkylene oxides, substituted allyls, cellulose nitrate, cresols, caprolactam solution, epichlorohydrin, ethylene dichloride, isocyanates, ketones, glycols, nitrates, phenols, phosphorus pentoxide, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. Forms explosive material with 2,4,5-trinitrotoluene and increases the thermal sensitivity of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by decreasing the tenqjerature of explosion from 566°F/297°C to 424°F/218°C. Attacks metals. Thermal decomposition at 228°F/109°C, releasing oxides of carbon. 

The hydrolysis of the amyl chlorides with sodium oleate and caustic soda solution to form the corresponding alcohols is the basis of a flourishing industry and is discussed on another page. The ease of removal of halogen increases markedly from chlorine to iodine and with increasing complexity of the compound. Ethylene chlorohydrin, for example, is easily and smoothly hydrolyzed to ethylene glycol by aqueous sodium bicarbonate CH,0HCH,C1 + NaHCO, aq. - CH,OHCH,OH -H CO. + NaCl... 

Ethylene chlorohydrin vapors form an explosive mixture with air the LEE and UEL values are 4.9% and 15.9% by volume of air, respectively. Among the hazardous reaction products are ethylene oxide, formed by internal displacement of the chlorine atom by the alkoxide ion, ethylene glycol formed by hydrolysis with sodium bicarbonate at 105°C (221°F), and ethylene cyanohydrin resulting from the reaction with alkali metal cyanides. 

A pilot reactor is used to determine the economic feasibility of ethylene glycol production from two available process streams containing 1.79mol/dm sodium bicarbonate and 3.73 mol/dm ethylene chlorohydrine in water. 

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