GB856420A - Method of making hydrogen peroxide - Google Patents

Abstract

In the production of hydrogen peroxide by the successive catalytic hydrogenation and autoxidation of a quinone in a solvent medium, the quinone is 2-ethyl tetrahydroanthraquinone containing 0 to 125% by weight of 2-ethyl anthraquinone and the hydrogenation is terminated before it is more than 55% complete. The degree of hydrogenation should in general be above 20% and may be 44% (Example I) or 54.9% (Example II). Solvents specified are methyl cyclohexyl acetate alone or together with benzene, diethyl benzene or triethyl benzene, and di-isobutyl, di-n-propyl, diamyl, dihexyl, ethylhexyl, and ethylamyl ketone. The concentration of tetrahydroanthraquinone may be 40-100% of saturation. The temperature of hydrogenation may be 50-125 DEG F. The catalyst may be palladium supported on alumina. After reaction of the hydrogenated solution with air at about 120 DEG F. and extraction with water to remove hydrogen peroxide, the quinone solution may be passed through a bed of active alumina and then subjected to further hydrogenation &c. Specifications 465,070 and 671,524 are referred to.