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Anthraquinone process

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The anthraquinone process, also called the Riedl–Pfleiderer process, is a process for the production of hydrogen peroxide, which was developed by IG Farben in the 1940s.,[1] The industrial production of hydrogen peroxide is based on the reduction of oxygen, as in the direct synthesis from the elements. Instead of hydrogen itself, however, a 2-alkyl-anthrahydroquinone, which is generated before from the corresponding 2-alkyl-anthraquinone by catalytic hydrogenation with palladium is used. Oxygen and the organic phase react under formation of the anthraquinone and hydrogen peroxide. Among other alkyl groups (R) ethyl- and tert-butyl- are used, e.g., 2-ethylanthraquinone.[2][3]

The hydrogen peroxide is then extracted with water and in a second step separated by fractional distillation from the water. The hydrogen peroxide accumulates as sump product. The anthraquinone acts as a catalyst, the overall reaction equation is therefore:

H
2
+ O
2
H
2
O
2

If ozone is used instead of oxygen, dihydrogen trioxide can be produced by this method.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Campos-Martin, Jose M.; Blanco-Brieva, Gema; Fierro, Jose L. G. (2006). "Hydrogen Peroxide Synthesis: An Outlook beyond the Anthraquinone Process". Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 45 (42): 6962–6984. doi:10.1002/anie.200503779. PMID 17039551.
  2. ^ Goor, G.; Glenneberg, J.; Jacobi, S. (2007). "Hydrogen Peroxide". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a13_443.pub2. ISBN 978-3527306732.
  3. ^ Römpp CD 2006, Georg Thieme Verlag 2006
  4. ^ Plesničar, Božo (2005). "Progress in the Chemistry of Dihydrogen Trioxide (HOOOH)" (PDF). Acta Chimica Slovenica. 52: 1–12.
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