Return to Abstracts of Literature

Return to Abstracts of Literature 1250-1499

Literature Abstracts

 1495.    ---------------.  [HORNE, W. A., AND FARAGHER, W. F.] Interrogation of Dr. Pier and Staff.  I. G. Farbenindustrie A.-G.  Ludwigshafen and Oppau.  IV.  Oxidation Process.  Fatty Acid Production.  FIAT Final Rept. 426, 1945, pp. 9-11; Bureau of Mines Inf. Circ. 7,376; PB 1,367 and 7,745; TOM Reel 199.

        Paraffin waxes produced by the hydrogenation of brown coal, from crude petroleum oils and from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, have been oxidized successfully to fatty acids.  The molten wax is blown with air in pure Al towers in presence of Mn compounds, such as KMnO4 or Mn soaps; 0.08-0.15% of Na or K carbonate improves the quality of the products.  A temperature of 130°-160° is maintained until oxidation begins and is then lowered to 100°-120°.  The lower the oxidation temperature, the smaller is the formation of peroxides, but the longer the reaction time.  The airflow is continued for 10-30 hr. until approximately 30% of the paraffin is converted.  The product has an acid number of 75 and a saponification number of 130-150.  The oxidation product is saponified with aqueous NaOH (20-25% at 80°), heated in an autoclave to 130°-150° under pressure, the soap solution and the unsaponifiable product separating in layers, the former at the bottom.  The upper layer is recycled to the oxidation tower, the lower heated in a pipe still to 280°-350° at 80-100 atm., the pressure being released flashing the water vapor and the remaining unsaponifiable material.  The molten soap from the flash tower is dissolved in water and hydrolyzed with H2SO4.  The fatty acid is washed and distilled under a vacuum of 3 mm.  Based on 100 parts of paraffin the following 3 fractions are obtained:  Acids C3-C10 boiling up to 150°, 7-15%; soap acids C3-C10 boiling 150°-240°, 45-55%; higher acids C16-C25 boiling 240°-300°, 2-5%; residue 5-20%.  The plant at Oppau had a capacity of 20,000 ton of paraffin wax per yr.