GB607326A - Improvements in or relating to the production of benzene hexachloride and of insecticides containing it - Google Patents

Abstract

Benzene hexachloride, suitable for inclusion in insecticidal compositions, is made by the additive chlorination of benzene in actinic light in the presence of not more than 10 per cent by weight of an aromatic disulphide having the general formula X-S-S-X, wherein X represents a benzyl or phenyl radical which may contain substituent groups inert to chlorine, e.g. halogen, nitro or alkyl. In examples: (1) benzene containing 0.1 per cent of dibenzyl sulphide is chlorinated at 40 DEG to 45 DEG C. under irradiation from a mercury vapour lamp until the density of the reaction mixture is 0.97 to 1.0 when the mixture is steam distilled to remove unreacted benzene leaving a residue which is cooled, dried and may be diluted with gypsum to obtain an insecticidal composition; (2) benzene containing 1.0 per cent by weight of dibenzyl sulphide is chlorinated and the product is isolated as in (1); (3) benzene containing 4.0 per cent by weight of dibenzyl sulphide is chlorinated as in (1). Specification 573,689 is referred to.ALSO:Benzene hexachloride, suitable for inclusion in insecticidal compositions, is made by the additive chlorination of benzene in actinic light in the presence of not more than 10 per cent by weight of an aromatic disulphide having the general formula X-S-S-X wherein X represents a benzyl or phenyl radical which may contain substituent groups inert to chlorine, e.g. halogen, nitro or alkyl. The benzene hexachloride may be incorporated with other materials to form insecticidal compositions having specific uses such as dusts, sprays or dispersible powders. It may, for instance, be intimately mixed with a diluent material such as talc, gypsum or chalk, with edible substances such as bran, or with adhesive substances. Specification 573,689 is referred to.