Low-Temperature Synthesis

LPG. See gas, liquified petroleum LPIE. See ion exchange, liquid-phase LPM. See methanol, low-pressure LPMEOH. See coal, -to-methanol, liquid-phase methanol LPST. See turbine, low-pressure steam LPT. See turbine, low-pressure LTFT. See Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis, low-temperature... 

The fact that hydrocarbons constitute the chief product of isosynthesis results from the intense dehydrating action of thorium oxide and related catalysts. In the region of operation for this synthesis, low temperatures produce high yields of alcohols. A rise in temperature at first increases the iso-olefin yield then, as the hydrogenating power of the catalyst increases, isoparaffins are formed. A further rise in temperature produces naphthenes and finally, because of their high thermal stability, aromatics. 

Diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL) is known to be less reactive than LiAUL and can transfer only one hydride ion per molecule. For this reason DIBAL is commonly used for partial reduction of esters and nitriles. Addition of DIBAL to a nitrile results in the formation of an imine-aluminum complex that is decomposed, during workup, to the aldehyde (Scheme 14). Cyanohydrins have to be protected during the synthesis of a-hydroxy aldehydes because dimerization and isomerization can take place. Even in the protected form special care has to be taken during synthesis (low temperatures) and workup [124,136]. 

Treatment of geminal dihalocyclopropyl compounds with a strong base such as butyl lithium has been for several years the most versatile method for cumulenes. The dihalo compounds are easily obtained by addition of dihalocarbenes to double--bond systems If the dihalocyclopropanes are reacted at low temperatures with alkyllithium, a cyclopropane carbenoid is formed, which in general decomposes above -40 to -50°C to afford the cumulene. Although at present a number of alternative methods are available , the above-mentioned synthesis is the only suitable one for cyclic cumulenes [e.g. 1,2-cyclononadiene and 1,2,3-cyclodecatriene] and substituted non-cyclic cumulenes [e.g. (CH3)2C=C=C=C(CH3)2]. 

The recent discovery that propadiene can be converted into a lithio compound, which is stable enough at low temperature to allow functionalization, has made it an important starting compound for the synthesis of derivatives. A fortunate circumstance is that allene can be obtained in > 30% yield in an extremely simple... 

Nickel(O) forms a n-complex with three butadiene molecules at low temperature. This complex rearranges spontaneously at 0 °C to afford a bisallylic system, from which a large number of interesting olefins can be obtained. The scheme given below and the example of the synthesis of the odorous compound muscone (R. Baker, 1972, 1974 A.P. Kozikowski, 1976) indicate the variability of such rearrangements (P. Heimbach, 1970). Nowadays many rather complicated cycloolefins are synthesized on a large scale by such reactions and should be kept in mind as possible starting materials, e.g. after ozonolysis. 

The 1,6-difunctional hydroxyketone given below contains an octyl chain at the keto group and two chiral centers at C-2 and C-3 (G. Magnusson, 1977). In the first step of the antithesis of this molecule it is best to disconnect the octyl chain and to transform the chiral residue into a cyclic synthon simultaneously. Since we know that ketones can be produced from add derivatives by alkylation (see p. 45ff,), an obvious precursor would be a seven-membered lactone ring, which is opened in synthesis by octyl anion at low temperature. The lactone in turn can be transformed into cis-2,3-dimethyicyclohexanone, which is available by FGI from (2,3-cis)-2,3-dimethylcyclohexanol. The latter can be separated from the commercial ds-trans mixture, e.g. by distillation or chromatography. 

Early catalysts for acrolein synthesis were based on cuprous oxide and other heavy metal oxides deposited on inert siHca or alumina supports (39). Later, catalysts more selective for the oxidation of propylene to acrolein and acrolein to acryHc acid were prepared from bismuth, cobalt, kon, nickel, tin salts, and molybdic, molybdic phosphoric, and molybdic siHcic acids. Preferred second-stage catalysts generally are complex oxides containing molybdenum and vanadium. Other components, such as tungsten, copper, tellurium, and arsenic oxides, have been incorporated to increase low temperature activity and productivity (39,45,46). 

Sasol produces synthetic fuels and chemicals from coal-derived synthesis gas. Two significant variations of this technology have been commercialized, and new process variations are continually under development. Sasol One used both the fixed-bed (Arge) process, operated at about 240°C, as weU as a circulating fluidized-bed (Synthol) system operating at 340°C. Each ET reactor type has a characteristic product distribution that includes coproducts isolated for use in the chemical industry. Paraffin wax is one of the principal coproducts of the low temperature Arge process. Alcohols, ketones, and lower paraffins are among the valuable coproducts obtained from the Synthol process. 

However, BASF developed a two-step process (25). After methyl formate [107-31-3] became available in satisfactory yields at high pressure and low temperatures, its conversion to formamide by reaction with ammonia gave a product of improved quaUty and yield in comparison with the earlier direct synthesis. 

Any of the medium heat-value gases that consist of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (often called synthesis gas) can be converted to high heat-value gas by methanation (22), a low temperature catalytic process that combines carbon monoxide and hydrogen to form methane and water. 

A wide range and a number of purification steps are required to make available hydrogen/synthesis gas having the desired purity that depends on use. Technology is available in many forms and combinations for specific hydrogen purification requirements. Methods include physical and chemical treatments (solvent scmbbing) low temperature (cryogenic) systems adsorption on soHds, such as active carbon, metal oxides, and molecular sieves, and various membrane systems. Composition of the raw gas and the amount of impurities that can be tolerated in the product determine the selection of the most suitable process. 

The proposed mechanism by which chlorinated dioxins and furans form has shifted from one of incomplete destmction of the waste to one of low temperature, downstream formation on fly ash particles (33). Two mechanisms are proposed, a de novo synthesis, in which PCDD and PCDF are formed from organic carbon sources and Cl in the presence of metal catalysts, and a more direct synthesis from chlorinated organic precursors, again involving heterogeneous catalysis. Bench-scale tests suggest that the optimum temperature for PCDD and PCDF formation in the presence of fly ash is roughly 300°C. 

Properties. One of the characteristic properties of the polyphosphazene backbone is high chain dexibility which allows mobility of the chains even at quite low temperatures. Glass-transition temperatures down to —105° C are known with some alkoxy substituents. Symmetrically substituted alkoxy and aryloxy polymers often exhibit melting transitions if the substituents allow packing of the chains, but mixed-substituent polymers are amorphous. Thus the mixed substitution pattern is deUberately used for the synthesis of various phosphazene elastomers. On the other hand, as with many other flexible-chain polymers, glass-transition temperatures above 100°C can be obtained with bulky substituents on the phosphazene backbone. 

Because the synthesis reactions are exothermic with a net decrease in molar volume, equiUbrium conversions of the carbon oxides to methanol by reactions 1 and 2 are favored by high pressure and low temperature, as shown for the indicated reformed natural gas composition in Figure 1. The mechanism of methanol synthesis on the copper—zinc—alumina catalyst was elucidated as recentiy as 1990 (7). For a pure H2—CO mixture, carbon monoxide is adsorbed on the copper surface where it is hydrogenated to methanol. When CO2 is added to the reacting mixture, the copper surface becomes partially covered by adsorbed oxygen by the reaction C02 CO + O (ads). This results in a change in mechanism where CO reacts with the adsorbed oxygen to form CO2, which becomes the primary source of carbon for methanol. 

Reforming is completed in a secondary reformer, where air is added both to elevate the temperature by partial combustion of the gas stream and to produce the 3 1 H2 N2 ratio downstream of the shift converter as is required for ammonia synthesis. The water gas shift converter then produces more H2 from carbon monoxide and water. A low temperature shift process using a zinc—chromium—copper oxide catalyst has replaced the earlier iron oxide-catalyzed high temperature system. The majority of the CO2 is then removed. 

A low temperature catalytic process has been reported (64). The process involves the divalent nickel- or zero-valent palladium-catalyzed self-condensation of halothiophenols in an alcohol solvent. The preferred halothiophenol is -bromothiophenol. The relatively poor solubiHty of PPS under the mild reaction conditions results in the synthesis of only low molecular weight PPS. An advantage afforded by the mild reaction conditions is that of making telecheHc PPS with functional groups that may not survive typical PPS polymerization conditions. 

Synthesis. One of the more common routes for the synthesis of aminoboranes involves the aminolysis of the appropriate boron hahde. Trisaminoboranes are most convenientiy prepared by adding BCI3 to an excess of amine in an inert solvent at low temperatures (42). For example for tris(dimetby1amino)borane [4375-83-1]. ... 

Synthesis. Iminoboranes, thermodynamically unstable with respect to oligomerization can be isolated under laboratory conditions by making the oligomerization kineticaHy unfavorable. This is faciUtated by bulky substituents, high dilution, and low temperatures. The vacuum gas-phase pyrolysis of (trimethylsilylarnino)(aLkyl)haloboranes has been utilized as an effective method of generating iminoboranes RB=NR as shown in equation 19 for X = F,... 

These pioneers understood the interplay between chemical equiUbrium and reaction kinetics indeed, Haber s research, motivated by the development of a commercial process, helped to spur the development of the principles of physical chemistry that account for the effects of temperature and pressure on chemical equiUbrium and kinetics. The ammonia synthesis reaction is strongly equiUbrium limited. The equiUbrium conversion to ammonia is favored by high pressure and low temperature. Haber therefore recognized that the key to a successful process for making ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen was a catalyst with a high activity to allow operation at low temperatures where the equiUbrium is relatively favorable. 

Sol-Gel Techniques. Sol-gel powders (2,13,15,17) are produced as a suspension or sol of coUoidal particles or polymer molecules mixed with a Hquid that polymerizes to form a gel (see Colloids SoL-GELtechnology). Typically, formation of a sol is foUowed by hydrolysis, polymerization, nucleation, and growth. Drying, low temperature calciaation, and light milling are subsequently required to produce a powder. Sol-gel synthesis yields fine, reactive, pseudo-crystalline powders that can be siatered at temperatures hundreds of degrees below conventionally prepared, crystalline powders. 

Dichloroethylene can be used as a low temperature extraction solvent for organic materials such as dyes, perfumes, lacquers, and thermoplastics (13—15). It is also used as a chemical intermediate in the synthesis of other chlorinated solvents and compounds (2). 

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