Preparation of polychlorophenoxy acetic acids

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF PREPARING A POLYCHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID USEFUL AS A PLANT GROWTH REGULATOR WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AN ALKALI METAL SALT OF A POLYCHLOROPHENOL AND AN ALKALI METAL SALT OF CHLOROACETIC ACID IN A REACTION MEDIUM COMPOSED OF WATER UNTIL REACTION IS COMPLETE, THEN THOROUGHLY ADMIXING WITH THE RESULTING REACTION MIXTURE A SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-INSOLUBLE INERT ORGANIC LIQUID WHICH IS A GOOD SOLVENT FOR SAID POLYCHLOROPHENOL AND RELATIVELY A POOR SOLVENT FOR SAID POLYCHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID AND WHICH IS SELECTED FROM GHE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS AND HALOGENATED HYDROCARONS, THEN ACIDIFYING THE RESULTING MIXTURE WHILE VIGOROUSLY AGITATING IT AND WHILE MAINTAINING A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 70* TO 90* C. AT WHICH THE MIXTURE IS ENTIRELY LIQUID AND SUBSEQUENTLY COOLING THE MIXTURE TO BELOW 40* C. AND THEREBY EFFETING LIBERATION OF SAID POLYCHLOROPHENOL ACID AND TO THE UNREACTED POLYCHLOROPHENOL WITH PRECIPITATION OF MOST OF SAID POLYCHLOROPHENOXACETIC ACID AND SOLUTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID UNREACTED POLYCHLOROPHENOL IN SAID ORGANIC LIQUID, AND THEN SEPARATING SAID PRECIPITATED POLYCHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID FROM THE RESIDUAL MIXTURE, THE SO SEPARATED POLYCHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID WITHOUT FURTHER PURIFICATION HAVING A MORE DISIRABLE PHYSICAL FORM AND BEING MUCH MORE FREE FROM FREE POLYCHLROOPHENOL AND FROM COLORED IMPURITIES THAN A COMPARATIVE PRODUCT MADE BY AN IDENTICAL PROCESS IN WHICH OF SAID LIQUID IS OMITTED.