Patent ID: 6870061
Filing Date: 2005-03-22
Classification: C07D

Abstract:
1. A process for producing glycidyl nitrate, comprising: feeding glycerin and nitric acid to a first reaction vessel; reacting the glycerin and the nitric acid in the first reaction vessel to produce a nitrate ester that consists essentially of 1,3-dinitroglycerin and nitric acid; withdrawing at least a portion of the nitrate ester that consists essentially of 1,3-dinitroglycerin and nitric acid from the first reaction vessel; feeding sodium hydroxide and the withdrawn portion of the nitrate ester that consists essentially of 1,3-dinitroglycerin and nitric acid to a second reaction vessel; reacting the sodium hydroxide and the withdrawn portion of nitric acid in the second reaction vessel to neutralize the nitric acid; withdrawing a product from the second reaction vessel, the product comprising the nitrate ester that consists essentially of 1, 3-dinitroglycerin, water, and sodium nitrate; separating the nitrate ester that consists essentially of 1,3-dinitroglycerin from the water; feeding sodium hydroxide and the separated nitrate ester that consists essentially of 1,3-dinitroglycerin to a third reaction vessel; reacting the separated nitrate ester that consists essentially of 1,3-dinitroglycerin and the sodium hydroxide within the third reaction vessel to produce glycidyl nitrate and byproducts; withdrawing the glycidyl nitrate and the byproducts from the third reaction vessel; and separating the glycidyl nitrate from the byproducts.