Xylidine, technical

The reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds is of exceptionally great interest, not only scientifically, hut also technically. The conversion of the hydrocarbons of coal tar into useful products began with the discovery of the nitration process the conversion, on the technical scale, of the nitro-group of nitrobenzene into the amino-group gave aniline, the starting material for the preparation of innumerable dyes and pharmaceutical products to aniline were added the homologous toluidines, xylidines, naphthylamines, and so on. 

National Toxicology Program NTP Technical Report on the Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of 2,6-Xylidine (2,6-Dimethylaniline) (CAS No 87-62-7) in Charles River CD Rats (Feed Studies). NTP TR 278, NIH Pub No 90-2534, pp 1-138. US Dept of Health and Human Services, 1990... 

Xylidines.—The amino derivatives of xylene are known as xylidines, and they also are of value for their use in the preparation of dyes. The technical xylene, as used for the preparation of dyestuff xylidines, is a mixture of ortho-, meta-, and para-xyXana and the xylidine obtained in... 

Technical Xylidine.—The para-xylene is also present in the technical product which of course yields only one xylidine, viz., 1-4-dimethyl 2-amino benzene. From the or//fo-xylene present the vicinal or I-2-di-methyl 3-amino benzene is obtained. The technical xylidine contains these three isomeric compounds and is used in the preparation of azo-dyes. Of the amino derivatives of the higher homologues only one will be mentioned. 

Pseudocumidine.—Pseudocumene or 1-2-4-tri-methyl benzene (unsymmetrical) yields an amino derivative, viz., 1-2-4-tri-methyl-5-amino benzene. It is obtained from technical xylidine by simply heating with methyl alcohol. 

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