2560.     PADOVANI, C., AND SALVI, G.  [Oxidation of Paraffin.]  Riv. combustibili, vol. 2, 1948, pp. 231-244; Fuel Abs., 1949, No. 2, p. 931; Chem. Abs., vol. 43, 1949, p. 4000.

        Some doubtful factors in this process have been studied and improvements and simplifications applied especially in the separation of the oxidation products.  A commercial crystallized paraffin, m. p. 50°-52°, was taken as the raw material.  The optimum temperature of reaction was found to lie between 130° and 135°.  Although the reaction is exothermic, heat had to be applied at certain stages of the reaction to compensate for heat lost by dispersion.  Best results were obtained with a KMnO₄ catalyst (0.2-0.5%).  At the end of the process this catalyst had combined to 80% with the water-soluble fatty acids.  15% of O₂ mixed with the air used as oxidizing agent reduced the reaction period from 16-9 hr., the amount of air required from 480-250 l., and the oxy acids in the final products from 7 to 4%.  Al and oxidized Al were found to be the best construction materials for the pilot plant equipment, since they darkened the color of the products least and appeared to have a slight accelerating effect.  Whereas the Germans separated the oxidized products by saponification and removed the unsaponifiable matter by distillation under pressure, selective solution was adopted as being simpler and more economical.  Two solvents were treated in the laboratory, isopropanol and MeOH-H₂O.  Chromatographic separation also was tried, but difficulties were encountered.

        PALEARI, C.  See abs. 2706b.