Chemical Information for Nitrobenzene

Applications

Primary applications of nitrobenzene are as follows:

• for production of aniline and aniline derivatives, such as methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI),
• manufacturing of rubber chemicals, pesticides, dyes, and pharmaceuticals. 
• as blending material for production of shoe and floor polishes, leather dressings, paint solvents, and other materials to mask unpleasant odors. 
• due to its good odor, distilled nitrobenzene is also used as an inexpensive perfume for soaps. This usage is now banned due to its toxicity
• pharmaceutical ingredient for analgesic paracetamol 

Chemical Information and Process Technology

What is Nitrobenzene?

The most distinct property of nitrobenzene is its almond odor, bearing chemical formula of C6 H5 NO2. It may be found as either bright yellow crystals or an oily water-insoluble liquid. It is also commonly known as nitrobenzol, very poisonous as with other aromatic compounds.

The chemical compound melts at 5.85°C, with boiling point of 210.9°C. It is very soluble in ethanol, ether, and benzene with low solubility in water.

Process Synthesis

The systhesis of nitrobenzene is done by treating benzene with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids. The mixture undergoes a nitration reaction where one hydrogen molecule in the benzene molecule is replaced with a nitro group, NO ₂ . 

Chemical Information for Neo Pentyl Glycol (NPG)

Applications

Applications for Neo Pentyl Glycol (NPG) includes:

Coating Resins

• Neopentyl glycol is used to produce saturated resins that are formulated into oil-free, high- and low-solids, alkyd coatings.
• Superior balance between hardness and flexibility, more stable to heat and ultraviolet radiation
• Applications include metal furniture, appliance, automotive, coil and varnish coatings.

Powder Coatings

• Like alkyd coatings, powder coatings are characterized by superior hydrolysis resistance, good weatherability and good hardness/flexibility balance.
• Application include general metal, appliance, metal furniture, automotive and machinery coatings.

Gel Coating Resins

• Applications include marine accessories, general construction, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, corrosion resistant tanks, pipes, ducts and many others.

Fiberglass Reinforced Resins

• Used in fiber glass reinforced resins that offer high impact strength and flexibility, outstanding dielectric properties, high mechanical stability and malleability, good chemical resistance, good light transmission and low thermal conductivity.
• Applications the same areas as gel coats, along with recreational consumer goods and electrical components.

Plasticizers

• Used to manufacture polyester plasticizers that are used mainly to modify polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin systems.
• When blended plasticizers, PVC resin systems exhibit superior low temperature properties while retaining low volatility with high resistance to migration and loss of flexibility.

Synthetic Lubricants

• Used to manufacture diester resins used in the production of synthetic lubricants.
• These lubricants exhibit superior thermal and oxidative stability, low solidification points, high viscosity indices and high flash points.

Chemical Information and Process Technology

What is NeoPentyl Glycol (NPG)?

Chemical Formula:

2,2-DIMETHYL-1,3-PROPANEDIOL)(CH₃)₂C(CH₂OH)₂

The quaternary structure of NEOL allows it to offer superior hydrolytic stability, weatherability and a good balance between hardness and flexibility. The two methyl groups, instead of the usual two hydrogen atoms, on the alpha carbon atom are responsible for the high chemical and thermal stability. NPG is a very important intermediate for the industrial use.

Synthesis of NeoPentylGlycol (NPG)

Isobutyraldehyde + Formaldehyde => Hydroxypivaldehyde

Hydrogenation of Hydroxypivaldehyde => Neopentyl Glycol

(via catalyst, mostly used: Ni-Cr, Cu-Zn, Cu-Al, Cu-Cr, Cr, Ba)

• New invention is to provide a process for with high catalytic and high selectivity
• US Patent 4933473: The new catalyst under extensive research is Pt-Ru-W

Mass Calculation for Production of NPG

To produce 1 tonne (1000kg) of NPG, using the above equation; raw materials needed are as shown below:

Raw materials	Amount
Isobutyraldehyde	692 kg
Formaldehyde	288.5 kg
Hydrogen	19.2 kg

The total equation for NPG is as follows:

Isobutyraldehyde + Formaldehyde + Hydrogen => Neopentyl Glycol

And the chemical formulas for each are:

C₄H₈O + H₂CO+ H₂ => C₅H₁₂O₂

The equation is already balanced and for each 1 mol of NPG, 1 mol of each raw material is needed.

Using the periodic table, the mass for each chemical can be obtained through back-calculation using their respective molecular weight. This is governed by the equation, mol = mass/molecular weight

The molecular mass for each is as follows:

• C₄H₈O = 48 + 8 + 16 = 72
• H₂CO = 2 + 12 + 16 = 30
• H₂ = 2
• C₅H₁₂O₂ = 60 + 12 + 32 = 104

Using this calculation, the production for 1 tonne of NPG can be obtained by deviding each chemicals by 104 and times each by 1000 kg

Chemical Information for Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO)

Applications

In short, Linear alpha olefins applications are in a wide variety of end uses including comonomers for polyethylene, synthetic lubricants, surfactant intermediates, base oil for synthetic drilling fluids & lubricant additives.

Production of Polyethylene (HDPE, LLDPE)

The lower carbon numbers, 1-butene, 1-hexene and 1-octene are overwhelmingly used as comonomers in production of polyethylene. High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) and Linear Low Density PolyEthylene (LLDPE) use approximately 2-4% and 8-10% of comonomers, respectively. Production of Aldehyde Another significant use of C4-C8 linear alpha olefins is for production of linear aldehyde via oxo synthesis (hydroformylation) The predominant application of 1-decene is in making polyalphaolefin synthetic lubricant basestock (PAO) and to make, in a blend with higher linear alpha olefins, surfactants.

Production of LAB

C10-C14 linear alpha olefins are used in making surfactants for aqueous detergent formulations. These carbon numbers may be reacted with benzene to make linear alkyl benzene (LAB), Although some C14 alpha olefin is sold into aqueous detergent applications.

Production of Chloroparaffins

C14 has other applications such as being converted into chloroparaffins. A recent application of C14 is as on-land drilling fluid basestock, replacing diesel or kerosene in that application. Although C14 is more expensive than middle distillates, it has a significant advantage environmentally, being much more biodegradable and in handling the material, being much less irritating to skin and less toxic. C16 - C18 linear olefins find their primary application as the hydrophobes in oil-soluble surfactants and as lubricating fluids themselves.

Production of synthetic drilling fluids

C16 - C18 alpha or internal olefins are used as synthetic drilling fluid base for high value, primarily off-shore synthetic drilling fluids. The preferred materials for the synthetic drilling fluid application are linear internal olefins, which are primarily made by isomerizing linear alpha-olefins to an internal position. The higher internal olefins appear to form a more lubricious layer at the metal surface and are recognized as a better lubricants.

Production of paper sizing chemicals

Another significant application for C16 - C18 olefins is in paper sizing. Linear alpha olefins are, once again, isomerized into linear internal olefins are then reacted with maleic anhydride to make an alkyl succinic anhydride, a popular paper sizing chemical. C20 - C30 linear alpha olefins production capacity is only 5-10% of the total production of a linear alpha olefin plant. They are used in a number of reactive and non-reactive applications, including as feedstocks to make heavy linear alkyl benzene (LAB) and low molecular weight polymers which are used to enhance properties of waxes.

Chemical Information and Process Technology

What is Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO)?

Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO) or Normal Alpha Olefins (NAO) are olefins or alkenes with a chemical formula CxH2x, distinguished from other mono-olefins with a similar molecular formula by linearity of the hydrocarbon chain and the position of the double bond at the primary or alpha position. 1-hexene, a typical linear alpha-olefin 1-hexene, a typical linear alpha-olefin Linear alpha olefins are a range of industrially important alpha-olefins, including 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene and higher blends of C20-C24, C24-C30, and C20-C30 ranges.

Industrially, linear alpha olefins are commonly manufactured by two main routes: oligomerization of ethylene and by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis followed by purification. Another route to linear alpha olefins which has been used commercially on small scale is dehydration of alcohols. Prior to about 1970's linear alpha olefins were also manufactured by thermal cracking of waxes, whereas linear internal olefins were also manufactured by chlorination/dehydrochlorination of linear paraffins.

Licensing and Technology Licensors

Available technology licensors for the production of Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO) are:

• Ethyl Corporation (Ineos) process.
• Gulf (Chevron Phillips Chemical Company), Shell Oil Company SHOP process.
• Idemitsu Petrochemical process.
• Phillips (CP Chemical Company) ethylene trimerization process, produces only 1-hexene.
• IFP, dimerizes ethylene to high purity 1-butene.
• UOP also offers a technology but so far, no commercial petrochemical plants have been using this technology
  

Petrochemical Plant Location and Capacities & Major Producers

Major producers for Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO) is Shell, Chevron and Amoco.

• Shell chemicals companies are the largest producers of alpha olefins in the world. Two manufacturing facilities at Geismar, Louisiana and Stanlow, UK are largely devoted to alpha olefin production. This spread of production facilities gives Shell chemicals companies a strong competitive position and helps them provide product to you when and where you need it.
  
• Their larger Geismar facility, with a capacity of 928 kt/year makes linear paraffins, iso-paraffins (mostly methyl-branched), internal olefins and linear alpha olefins for use in oilfield fluids. Stanlow, with a capacity of 330 kt/year, produces linear paraffins and linear alpha olefins for use in oilfield fluids. Alpha and internal olefins are produced via a proprietary process called the Shell Higher Olefins Process (SHOP). The process uses ethylene to produce highly linear, long-chain (C4 to C30) olefins.
  
• Within SHOP, some of the alpha olefins of varying chain lengths are rearranged and isomerised to produce internal olefins in the C11 to C18 range. Some of the internal olefins (C11 to C14) are fed to the Shell HydroFormylation (SHF) process to produce detergent alcohols, synthetic linear paraffins and iso-paraffins. The C15 to C18 range material is used for both detergent and oilfield fluids end uses.

Chemical Technology: Methanol to Olefins

What is Methanol to Olefins?

Methanol to Olefins is a technology which can convert methanol to olefins (ethylene, propylene, butylenes, isobutylenes, and heavier olefins). Methanol to Olefins (MTO) technology can be considered as new technology in petrochemical processing since propylene and ethylene are usually obtained through conventional processes such as steam cracking, FCC and other available options.

Chemical Information and Process Technology

The process is to produce selective production of ethylene and propylene from methanol. MTO process converts methanol to ethylene and propylene at nearly 80% carbon selectivity in a fluidized bed reactor. The MTO reaction is exothermic.

Carbon or coke accumulates on the catalyst and must be removed to maintain catalyst activity. The coke is removed by combustion with air in a catalyst regenerator system. Other co-products include very small amounts of C1-C4 paraffins, hydrogen, CO and CO2, as well as ppm levels of heavier oxygenates that are removed to ensure that the product olefins meet polymer-grade specifications.

The ratio of propylene/ethylene product can range from less than 0.8 to more than 1.3. When combined with the Total Petrochemicals/UOP Olefin Cracking process (to be discussed later) to convert the heavier olefins, the overall yields of ethylene plus propylene increase to between 85 to 90 % and propylene/ethylene product ratios of more than 1.5 are achievable. MTO is part of a two-step process, which converts natural gas or coal to methanol followed by the conversion of methanol to light olefins.

Market Information/ Economics

MTO projects are driven by the desire to monetize natural gas or coal and the market demands for ethylene and propylene and their derivatives. Stranded natural gas prices are generally independent of crude oil and naphtha market prices so MTO provides another means for olefin derivative producers to diversify the cost structure for their feedstocks. MTO can provide much lower costs of production and higher returns on investment than naphtha crackers especially when crude oil market prices are high. MTO can also provide much lower costs of production and higher returns on investment than ethane crackers using ethane or natural gas liquids extracted from natural gas at prices above $3 to 4 per million Btu (e.g. North America). MTO plants can be located near or integrated with a methanol plant or they can be located separately with a methanol plant located near the gas source and the MTO plant located near the olefin markets or olefin derivative plants. In either case the methanol plant is located with access to low cost natural gas or coal. If there is local demand for a portion of the light olefins or their derivatives, then it can be desirable to locate the MTO unit at the same location as the methanol unit. If all of the light olefins or their derivatives are to be exported, then it may be preferable to ship methanol to an MTO unit that is located near the olefin or olefin derivative markets.

Petrochemical Projects Archive for October 2007

RIL, Gail considering JV in petrochemical plants in Russia.

Reliance Industries (RIL) are considering the feasibility of putting up petrochemical plants in Russia together with state-owned Gail India.

US$ 5 Billion Petrochemical Plant by Chevron Philips and Saudi Industrial.

Chevron Philips with collaborating partner Saudi Industrial Group is planning to borrow US$ 1.8 Billion to finance a US$ 5 Billion petrochemical plant at Al-Jubail tentatively to produce ethylene, propylene and polyethylene.