Abstract 1. A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, WHICH COMPRISES (A) INTIMATELY CONTACTING MOLTEN P-NITROTOLUENE WITH A MIXTURE OF AT MOST 50% BY VOLUME OF GASEOUS SULFUR TRIOXIDE AND AN INERT GAS AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 90 TO 150* C., THE SULFUR TRIOXIDE BEING USED IN ABOUT 1 TO 15% MOLAR EXCESS OVER THE P-NITROTOLUENE EMPLOYED, (B) ADDING WATER TO THE REACTION MIXTURE SO AS TO OBTAIN AN AQUEOUS SLURRY CONTAINING ABOUT 20 TO 50% OF DISSOLVED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, (C) MAINTAINING SAID SLURRY AT A TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM ABOUT 80 TO 100* C. FOR ABOUT 15 TO 60 MINUTES TO HYDROLYZE THE P-NITROLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID ANHYDRIDE FORMED DURING THE SULFONATION IN ADMIXTURE WITH P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID AND CONVERT IT TO P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, (D) SEPARATING THE WATER-INSOLUBLE BY-PRODUCTS FROM THE SOLUTION CONTAINING THE DISSOLVED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, AND (E) TREATING THE SEPARATED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID SOLUTION WITH ACTIVATED CARBON TO REMOVE DISSOLVED COLOR BODIES AND DISSOLVED UNREACTED P-NITROTOLUENE AND TO OBTAIN SUBSTANTIALLY PURE P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID IN SOLUTION.
A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, WHICH COMPRISES (A) INTIMATELY CONTACTING MOLTEN P-NITROTOLUENE WITH A MIXTURE OF AT MOST 50% BY VOLUME OF GASEOUS SULFUR TRIOXIDE AND AN INERT GAS AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 90 TO 150* C., THE SULFUR TRIOXIDE BEING USED IN ABOUT 1 TO 15% MOLAR EXCESS OVER THE P-NITROTOLUENE EMPLOYED, (B) ADDING WATER TO THE REACTION MIXTURE SO AS TO OBTAIN AN AQUEOUS SLURRY CONTAINING ABOUT 20 TO 50% OF DISSOLVED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, (C) MAINTAINING SAID SLURRY AT A TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM ABOUT 80 TO 100* C. FOR ABOUT 15 TO 60 MINUTES TO HYDROLYZE THE P-NITROLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID ANHYDRIDE FORMED DURING THE SULFONATION IN ADMIXTURE WITH P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID AND CONVERT IT TO P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, (D) SEPARATING THE WATER-INSOLUBLE BY-PRODUCTS FROM THE SOLUTION CONTAINING THE DISSOLVED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, AND (E) TREATING THE SEPARATED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID SOLUTION WITH ACTIVATED CARBON TO REMOVE DISSOLVED COLOR BODIES AND DISSOLVED UNREACTED P-NITROTOLUENE AND TO OBTAIN SUBSTANTIALLY PURE P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID IN SOLUTION.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, WHICH COMPRISES (A) INTIMATELY CONTACTING MOLTEN P-NITROTOLUENE WITH A MIXTURE OF AT MOST 50% BY VOLUME OF GASEOUS SULFUR TRIOXIDE AND AN INERT GAS AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 90 TO 150* C., THE SULFUR TRIOXIDE BEING USED IN ABOUT 1 TO 15% MOLAR EXCESS OVER THE P-NITROTOLUENE EMPLOYED, (B) ADDING WATER TO THE REACTION MIXTURE SO AS TO OBTAIN AN AQUEOUS SLURRY CONTAINING ABOUT 20 TO 50% OF DISSOLVED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, (C) MAINTAINING SAID SLURRY AT A TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM ABOUT 80 TO 100* C. FOR ABOUT 15 TO 60 MINUTES TO HYDROLYZE THE P-NITROLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID ANHYDRIDE FORMED DURING THE SULFONATION IN ADMIXTURE WITH P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID AND CONVERT IT TO P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, (D) SEPARATING THE WATER-INSOLUBLE BY-PRODUCTS FROM THE SOLUTION CONTAINING THE DISSOLVED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID, AND (E) TREATING THE SEPARATED P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID SOLUTION WITH ACTIVATED CARBON TO REMOVE DISSOLVED COLOR BODIES AND DISSOLVED UNREACTED P-NITROTOLUENE AND TO OBTAIN SUBSTANTIALLY PURE P-NITROTOLUENE-2-SULFONIC ACID IN SOLUTION.