Tetranitromethane, Manufacture from Acetylene

The method of manufacture of nitroform from acetylene found as early as 1900 by Baschieri (Voi. I, p. 587) was described by Orton and McKie [141]. It became possible to convert one of the carbons of acetylene to nitroform through a mercury catalysed oxidation-nitration process with nitric acid. Nitroform is an intermediate product of nitration and yields tetranitromethane under the action of excess nitric acid (Vol. I, p. S94). The method was developed during World War II by Schultheiss I42] and Schimmelschmidt 143 on a large laboratory scale with the atm of producing tetranitromethane. l ater the industrial scale method for the manufacture of nitroform was created by Wctter-holm [I44 (and is described below). 

Acetylene, Manufacture of Tetranitromethane, From. See P ATR 2510(1958), p Ger 195, unde Tetan... 

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