DE1936046A1 - Process for the preparation of addition products of ethylene oxide with a compound with mobile hydrogen - Google Patents

Description

FARBWERKE TIOECHST AIITIENGESELLSCHAFT formerly Master Lucius & Brüning

Fw 6153
July 15, 1969 Dr.Bk / jk

"Process for the production of addition products of the Ethylene oxide in compounds with mobile hydrogen "

The invention relates to a process for producing addition products of ethylene oxide with compounds with mobile hydrogen, in which the reaction mixture flows through a heat exchanger during the reaction is pumped around. The products of the process are non-ionic surface-active compounds.

Among compounds containing mobile hydrogen are compounds of the general type

R-X-H

understood, where

R is a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic radical, in particular a fatty alkyl, fatty alkenyl or fatty acyl radical, or optionally substituted aromatic radical, in particular an alkylphenyl radical, and

X is oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur. Such connections add, as is known, in the opposite of basic catalysts, e.g. B. sodium hydroxide, ethylene oxide with formation of substituted O-hydroxy-polyethylene glycol ethers of the general formula

RX- (C ₂ H ₄ O) _n - H. The reaction is strongly exothermic.

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Polyethylene glycol ethers of the type described are used in generally manufactured in agitator tanks, which are used to dissipate the heat of reaction with cooling jackets and cooling coils are provided. The heat dissipation is of course all the more limited, the larger the one Kettle is because the available cooling surface does not increase to the same extent as the volume of the kettle. The space-time yield is therefore limited.

Better cooling can be achieved with a known cycle process. The apparatus used there exists essentially consisting of a circulation system with a larger reaction vessel and a heat exchanger located outside the reaction vessel. The reaction material is in the Reaction container sprayed, and at the same time liquid ethylene oxide is metered in. The mixing of the reactants is not very intensive in this process, which means the reaction time increases, and so does the space-time yield reduced.

It has now been found that adducts of ethylene oxide with compounds containing mobile hydrogen in high space-time yield and particularly good quality can produce in a process in which the reaction mixture is circulated, and in which the Heat of reaction dissipated by a circulating heat exchanger through which the reaction material constantly flows is, if the ethylene oxide in the liquid state in a turbulent flow of the reaction material feeds and the reaction mixture thus obtained a mixing chamber and then can flow directly through the heat exchanger.

The Reynolds number of the flow should be at least be greater than 2300 in the area of the ethylene oxide feed.

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The ethylene dioxide is fed into the turbulent Liquid flow distributed very quickly over the entire flow cross-section. The reaction is immediate at the inspection point and proceeds in the reaction mixture continues during its passage through the mixing chamber and the heat exchanger. It also vaporizes in the mixing chamber part of the ethylene oxide, so that the turbulence and thus the liischffekt is increased. The mixing effect the vapor bubbles are also retained in the heat exchanger, which considerably improves the heat transfer. It is particularly expedient to use a tube bundle heat exchanger to use.

Side reactions remain in the process according to the invention largely off. At high space-time, it delivers

^ very
Yield good quality products.

The new procedure is to be explained in more detail on the basis of the calculation will:

The catalyst-containing, dried in vacuo and dissolved Oxygen-free starting material, e.g. B. Nonylphenol is circulated by pump 1.

In an injection apparatus 2, liquid ethylene oxide is added in finely divided form to the circulating liquid, which ethylene oxide continues to mix strongly with the circulating liquid in the diffuser of the mixing chamber 3. The mixture flows from the mixing chamber 3 through the heat exchanger 4, in which a substantial part of the heat takes place and the heat released during the reaction is dissipated. Before the reaction, i.e. before the addition of ethylene oxide, the heat exchanger, 4 is heated, ζ. B. with steam to heat the starting material to the reaction temperature -m%.

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After the heat exchanger 4, the reaction mixture flows into the boiler 5, which only takes up the volume of the reaction mixture increased by the addition of the ethylene oxide. At the beginning of a batch, the tank 5 is almost empty, so at least enough starting material must be provided for the entire rest of the circulatory system to be filled with liquid when the circulation pump is running. During the reaction, the liquid level in 5 rises in accordance with the addition of ethylene oxide. The reaction conditions remain ψ during the process constant.

The injection apparatus 2 consists, for. B. from a mixed venturi tube, Ethylene oxide flows into the narrowest cross-section through nozzles attached to the outside. Other organs of fine distribution for however, ethylene oxide are also possible. The heat exchanger 4 is expediently a tube bundle heat exchanger.

The delivery rate of the pump must be such that the circulating liquid at the ethylene oxide addition 2 im turbulent state, d. H. the Reynolds number of The flow should be greater than 2300. In the context of this condition, the delivery rate of the circulation pump is dependent on the introduced amount of ethylene oxide largely independent.

Examples:

1. Addition of an average of 10 moles of AeO / mole Nonylphenol.

4000 kg of nonylphenol, which contains 0.2% by weight of sodium hydroxide as a catalyst, are placed in the collecting container and dried in a vacuum at 110 ° C with the circulation pump running, Ethylene oxide is then fed in for 1.8 hours in an amount of 4500 kg / h and at a pressure of 4 atmospheres. the

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The temperature of the reaction mixture rises to 160 ° C. and is maintained here. After cooling in the absence of air and neutralizing with 6-7 kg of acetic acid, 12,0ÖÖ kg of the end product are obtained as a water-white liquid which contains a maximum of 0.5% by weight of polyethylene glycol as a by-product. The space-time yield is 6000 kg / l. H . According to conventional ^ processes, the reaction takes 5 hours with a space-time yield of 2900 kg / l. H . About 2 wt .-% ^'T ~ polyglycol are obtained as by-product.

- - ■ v ..

2. Addition product of an average of 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of tallow fatty alcohol.

4230 kg of tallow fatty alcohol with 0.2% by weight Sodium hydroxide was added as a catalyst and, after starting the circulation pump, dried at 110 ° C. in a vacuum. At 150 ° C 4000 kg of ethylene oxide are fed in under a pressure of 4 atmospheres per hour for 2 1/4 hours. After cooling in the absence of air 13,200 kg of the end product is obtained as a water-white liquid, the by-product at most 1% of polyglycol contains. The space-time yield is 5200 kg / l. H . According to conventional methods, the reaction time is 6.3 hours, the space-time yield is 2100 kg / l. H. 3-4% by weight of polyglycol are obtained as a by-product.

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Claims (2)

Fw 6153 6 - Claims experienced in the production of addition products of ethylene oxide to compounds with mobile hydrogen, in which the reaction mixture during the unisposition in a cycle v / ird, and in which the heat of reaction by a circulating and dated Reaction material constantly flowed through V / poor exchanger r.L-guided is, characterized in that the Äthylenoxidim liquid state is fed into a turbulent flow of the reaction material that the so obtained Reaction mixture flows through a mixing chamber and then immediately enters the heat exchanger. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the Reynolds number of the flow at least in the range the feed of ethylene oxide is greater than 23OO. 9886/2264 ORIGINAL BATHROOM