DECONTAMINATION OF (HYDROCARBYLTHIO) AROMATIC AMINES

Abstract: A Lewis acid contaminant is removed from a (hydro­ carbylthio)aromatic amine by mixing a solid alkali metal hydroxide with a solution of the Lewis acid in the amine, preferably at 110-120°C., and then filtering the solids from the mixture.

Description: This invention relates to (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amines and more particularly to a process for decontami­ nating them. As disclosed in U. S. Patent 4,594,453 (Ranken et al.), it is known that (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amines can be prepared by reacting an aromatic amine with a hydro­ carbyl disulfide in the presence of a catalytic amount of a Lewis acid. The Lewis acid contaminant can be removed by diluting the product with an organic liquid such as toluene, washing with an aqueous acid or base, and then removing the diluent and water. However, this decontami­ nation technique is bothersome, uneconomical, and apt to be particularly unsatisfactory when the amine is to be used in an application in which even small amounts of water cannot be tolerated. An object of this invention is to provide a novel process for decontaminating (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amines. Another object is to provide such a process which is simple, economical, and capable of removing Lewis acid contaminants without the use of water. These and other objects are attained by intimately mixing at least about two molar proportions of a solid alkali metal hydroxide with a solution of one molar pro­ portion of a Lewis acid in a (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amine and filtering the solids from the mixture. (Hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amines that can be decon­ taminated in the practice of the invention are all of the (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amines that may be prepared by the process of Ranken et al. These are Lewis acid-­ contaminated aromatic compounds bearing one or more hydrocarbylthio substituents on a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring such as a benzene, naphthalene, pyrrole, pyridine, or indole ring which has an amino nitrogen in the ring and/or bears one or more amino groups on the ring and which may bear additional substituents, such as chloro, fluoro, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, alkaryl, or aralkyl substituents, Thus, the amines include the mono- and polyhydro­ carbylthio compounds prepared by reacting a hydrocarbyl disulfide, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, t-butyl, 2-chloropentyl, cyclopentyl, cyclo­ hexyl, phenyl, benzyl, p-tolyl, or p-chlorophenyl disulfide with an aromatic amine such as 4,4′-methylene­ dianiline, 1,3-dimethylpyrrole, 1-methylpyrrole, 2-amino­ biphenyl, 4-phenoxyaniline, 7-methylindole, aniline, 4-butylaniline, 4-methylaniline, 4-chloroaniline, 2-ethylaniline, N-methylaniline, 1,5-diaminonaphthalene, 2,6-diaminopyridine, 1,2-, 1,3,- and 1,4- diaminobenzenes, 2,4- and 2,6-diaminotoluenes and 2,6-diamino-1-ethyl­ benzene in the presence of a Lewis acid, such as a boron, aluminum, ferrous, ferric, cuprous, cupric, zinc, cadmium, lead, cobaltous, mercurous, or mercuric chloride, bromide, or iodide, a reactive metal such as aluminum, and a metal alkyl such as triethylaluminum, and diethylaluminum chloride. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the solution that is treated is a solution of a boron or metal halide Lewis acid in one or more mono- or polyhydro-­ carbylthio-substituted aromatic diamines, especially such diamines wherein the hydrocarbylthio groups are alkylthio groups containing 1-6 carbons. This solution is usually the reaction product resulting from a Ranken-type process, although a solution obtained by adding a Lewis acid to a preformed (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amine can also be successfully treated. The alkali metal hydroxide may be lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, or cesium hydroxide but is preferably sodium hydroxide. To permit intimate admixture it is used in particulate form such as a powder, flakes, or granules; and it is conveniently employed as a bed of particles over which the contaminated amine can flow. The amount of hydroxide employed should be such as to provide at least about two, preferably at least about four, hydroxyl groups for each metal atom or equivalent in the Lewis acid. There does not appear to be any maximum to the amount that may be used except for the maximum that may be set by economic considerations. In the decontamination process, the solid alkali metal hydroxide is intimately mixed with the Lewis acid/amine solution at any suitable temperature, generally at ambient temperature or at a higher temperature up to about 120° C. and preferably in the range of 110-120° C., until the Lewis acid concentration has been reduced to an acceptable level. The time required varies with the particular hydroxide and temperature used and with the ultimate Lewis acid concentration sought but is typically in the range of 1-8 hours. The invention is advantageous as a simple, eco­ nomical method of removing a Lewis acid contaminant from a (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amine without the use of water. The effectiveness of the solid alkali metal hydroxide in the process is surprising, since the hydroxide is not soluble in the amine, and other hydroxides, such a calcium hydroxide, are relatively ineffective when used in solid form. The following examples are given to illustrate the invention and are not intended as a limitation thereof. EXAMPLE I A solution of about 3 mol % of cuprous iodide in about 93 mol % of di(methylthio) derivatives, about 3 mol% of mono(methylthio) derivatives, and about 1 mol % of tri(methylthio) derivatives was prepared by reacting a commercial toluenediamine containing 80% 2,4-diamino­ toluene and 20% 2,6-diaminotoluene with methyl disulfide in the presence of cuprous iodide. After excess methyl disulfide was stripped from the reaction mixture, solid sodium hydroxide was mixed with the solution to provide a mixture containing four mols of sodium hydroxide per mol of cuprous iodide, and the mixture was heated at 110-120° C. for eight hours. Samples were taken periodic­ ally, filtered, and analyzed to determine the amount of copper remaining in the amine. EXAMPLE II Example I was repeated except that the amount of sodium hydroxide mixed with the crude amine was six mols per mol of cuprous iodide. Analyses showed that the amount of copper in the product was reduced to 0.04 wt. % in only one hour and remained at that level during subsequent heating. EXAMPLE III Example I was repeated except that the amount of sodium hydroxide mixed with the crude amine was only three mols per mol of cuprous iodide and heating was maintained for only two hours. After two hours the amount of copper in the product was reduced to 0.2 wt. %. EXAMPLE IV Example I was repeated except that the sodium hydroxide was replaced with potassium hydroxide. The results of the analyses are shown below. EXAMPLE V Example I was essentially repeated except that the crude amine was one that had been prepared in the presence of a mixture of cuprous iodide and boron trifluoride etherate. The results of the analyses are shown below. It is obvious that many variations can be made in the products and processes set forth above without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims: 1. A process which comprises separating a Lewis acid from a (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amine by intimately mixing at least about two molar proportions of a solid alkali metal hydroxide with a solution of one molar proportion of a Lewis acid in a (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amine and filtering the solids from the mixture. 2. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide. 3. A process as claimed in claims l or 2 in which the Lewis acid is a boron or metal halide or mixture thereof. 4. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the Lewis acid is cuprous iodide. 5. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amine comprises at least one aromatic diamine bearing one or more alkylthio groups containing 1-6 carbons. 6. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the (hydrocarbylthio)aromatic amine is a mixture of methylthio-substituted toluenediamines. 7. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which at least about four molar proportions of alkali metal hydroxide are mixed with the solution. 8. A process as claimed in claims 1, 4 or 5 in which the mixture is maintained at 110-120°C. until the Lewis acid concentration in the solution has been reduced. 9. A process as Claimed in claim 1 in which at least about four molar proportions of solid sodium hydroxide are mixed with a solution of one molar proportion of a metal halide Lewis acid in a mixture of methylthio-substituted toluenediamines, the mixture is heated at 110-120°C., and the solids are then filtered from the mixture.

Inventors: DAVIS, ROBERT LYNN
Applicants: ETHYL CORPORATION
Application year: 1987
Main classification: C07C321
IPC codes: C07C319, C07C321, C07C323, C07C313, C07C67