GB698138A - Process for producing trinitroalcohols and esters thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

In the preparation of a trinitroalcohol an aldehyde or ketone is reacted with nitroform in the presence of an inert solvent for the reaction components. The reactions may be represented thus <FORM:0698138/IV (b)/1> and <FORM:0698138/IV (b)/2> in which R may be an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or heterocyclic radical. The aldehydes and ketones used may be saturated or unsaturated, lower aliphatic saturated and unsaturated aldehydes such as formaldehyde, crotonaldehyde and acrolein being especially suitable. Other starting materials mentioned include benzaldehyde, furfural, acetone, mesityl oxide and benzophenone. The solvent may consist of a reaction component, water, alcohols, dioxane and carbon tetrachloride. The trinitroalcohols may be converted into derivatives by known methods, e.g. into stable organic or inorganic esters. Esters may be produced directly by employing liquid carboxylic acid anhydrides as solvents. In examples, nitroform is dissolved in formaldehyde solution to yield trinitroethanol (1); in a methanolic solution containing nitric acid is mixed with formaldehyde solution to obtain trinitroethanol (2); in an aqueous solution is added to acetaldehyde with cooling to obtain trinitropropyl alcohol (3); is dissolved in ethyl alcohol with cooling to obtain a condensation product (4); is dissolved in a mixture of acetic anhydride and acetone to obtain trinitrobutylacetate (5); is dissolved in butyl alcohol containing furfural while cooling to obtain a condensation product (6); is added to mesityl oxide to obtain an oil (7); is dissolved in acetic anhydride and mixed with benzaldehyde to obtain a product of the formula <FORM:0698138/IV (b)/3> and may be reacted with nitrobenzaldehyde in water to obtain the corresponding trinitroalcohol (8) and dissolved in acetic anhydride is mixed with benzophenone to obtain a product of the formula <FORM:0698138/IV (b)/4>