An Improved Process for the Production of Tobacco Free or Partly Free from Nicotine.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1900
PROVISIONAL DIUIFICATION
An Improved Process for the Production of Tobacco Free or Partly
Free from Nicotine.
We, FRIEDRICH WILHELM HAASE, LUDWIG BROECKMANN, and CARL HAASE, all
members of the Firm of Joh. Seckamp & Co., of Meterstrasse, Bremen, Germany,
Cigar Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention has for object to carry over the nicotine contents of tobacco in
non volatile compounds by treating the tobacco with a quite uninjurious oxidising
medium, namely peroxide of hydrogen, whereby the other organic compounds con-
tained in the tobacco are either not attacked or only altered in such a way that
the resulting products give a better flavour to the tobacco.
In carrying out the invention the tobacco in leaf is macerated for such a length
of time in a dilute watery solution of so much peroxide of hydrogen as is sufficient
to oxidise and carry over the whole of the nicotine, or so much of it as is desired;
into oxynicotine and nicotine acid. To the solution is preferably, but not
necessarily, added so much ammonia or other suitable alkaline liquid as is requisite
for disengaging the nicotine. When the oxidation of the nicotine has been accom-
plished to the desired extent the tobacco is removed from the solution and dried,
either before or after being washed out, when it is ready for working up.
Dated this 29th day of November 1899.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
15, Tooks Court, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.
An Improved Process for the Production of Tobacco Free or Partly
Free from Nicotine.
We, FRIEDRICH WILHELM HAASE, LUDWIG BROECKMANN, and CARL HAASE, all
members of the Firm of Joh. Seekamp & Co., of Meterstrasse, Bremen, Germany,
Cigar Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The processes hitherto employed for the production of so called nicotine free
tobacco or uninjurious nicotine tobacco have for basis, on the one hand, the
removal of the nicotine therefrom which it is sought to do either by the extraction
of the free base by means of solvents such as alcohol, ether, benzine, etcetera, or by
driving it out by means of steam and on the other hand, the transformation of the

page_text: nicotine into insoluble salts which may be accomplished by adding tannic sub-
stances to the tobacco. These processes have been found unsuitable for obtaining
a thoroughly well flavoured product. In the process for the removal of the
nicotine a portion of the ingredients upon which the good flavour of the tobacco
depends, is also removed, that is, either the etheric oil of the tobacco or the
organic acids binding the nicotine. In the process for the transformation of the
nicotine the addition of tannic substances cannot in any way improve the flavour
of the tobacco, for which reason apparently, cigars made of such tobaccos have
the wrapper or covering leaf of unprepared raw tobacco.
The processes hitherto in use for the removal of the nicotine have only for
object the more or less successful production of nicotine free tobacco or unin-
jurious nicotine tobacco, without regard to the fact that for business purposes it is
important to be able to produce tobacco which is, according to demand, either
wholly free from nicotine or free only partly and to a largely varying extent, so as
to suit different tastes, as for instance those of sick, or sensitive, or healthy
persons.
Our invention has for object to carry over the nicotine contents of tobacco into
non volatile compounds by treating the tobacco with a quite uninjurious oxidising
medium, namely, peroxide of hydrogen, whereby the other organic compounds
contained in the tobacco are either not attacked or only altered in such a way
that the resulting products give a better flavour to the tobacco.
:
According to the researches of Pinner and Wolffenstein (Ber. d. Dtsch. Chem.
Ges. 24, 1 63 ff.) nicotine is, by the action of a dilute solution of peroxide of
hydrogen first transformed into a non volatile base, the oxynicotine, and with
lengthened action into nicotine acid which is similarly non volatile.
The nicotine of the tobacco treated by our process, altered by the peroxide of
hydrogen cannot therefore pass, with the gases of combustion into the mouth of
the smoker and the small quantities of volatile pyridine bases formed by the
combustion of the oxynicotine are held back by the acid contents of the tobacco
which are augmented in this process. Dilute solutions of peroxide of hydrogen
cannot under the proper conditions of performing the process have any effect
worth mentioning on the organic acids of the tobacco and on the etheric oils the
action will be similar to that which is caused by a prolonged storage of the goods,
the slight oxidation of the terpene brings about a mildness of flavour which is
further favourably influenced by the nicotine acid formed in small quantities. In
the oxidation, the peroxide of hydrogen turns to water and oxygen and therefore
cannot leave behind it products of reduction injuriously affecting the flavour of
the tobacco. If it is desired to completely remove the products of oxidation of the
nicotine, the treated tobacco is subjected to a supplementary washing or pressing
whereby the oxynicotine (CH₁ N, 0) or the nicotine acid (C, H, NO,) still
adhering to the tobacco leaves and very easily soluble in water is driven off.
Our process therefore results in a large decrease, extending down to mere traces,
of the nicotine contents of the tobacco and in an improvement of its flavour.
The tobacco is more or less, as may be desired, deprived of nicotine according
as a stronger or weaker solution of peroxide of hydrogen is employed or according
as the treatment is of longer or shorter duration.
We have found by means of analyses that tobacco containing in its natural
state 274 per cent. of nicotine, contains after treatment by our process during a
shorter or longer time or with a weaker or stronger solution 120, 0-83, 0'80, 0'23,
014 per cent. respectively of nicotine. Comparing these results with some
recently published analyses of the so called nicotine free tobacco preparations
which shew 142, 137, 0648 per cent. respectively of nicotine (Archiv der
Pharmazie 1898, S. 526, Chemisches Centralblatt 1899, S. 535) the first three of
our analyses may be said to correspond to what is commercially known as nicotine
free tobacco whilst the two last are so extremely low that in the tobacco manu-
facture they can be considered as entirely free from nicotine.
In carrying out the invention the tobacco in leaf is macerated for such a length

page_text: of time in a dilute watery solution of so much peroxide of hydrogen as is sufficient
to oxidise and carry over the whole of the nicotine, or so much of it as is desired,
into oxynicotine and nicotine acid. To the solution is preferably, but not
necessarily, added so much ammonia or other alkaline liquid as is necessary for
disengaging the nicotine. When the oxidation of the nicotine has been accom-
plished to the desired extent, the tobacco is removed from the solution and dried
at once or after being washed out or pressed, when it is ready for working up.
The strength of the solution of peroxide of hydrogen, the proportion of ammonia
or other alkaline liquid (when used), and the length of time required for the
treatment differs according to the nature of the tobacco, which as is well known
varies very considerably in form, strength, structure and nicotine contents, and
also according to the purpose to which the treated tobacco is destined, as for instance,
cigars, cigarettes, pipe tobacco, or raw tobacco. Taking cigarette tobacco by way
of example to one kilog. of this tobacco one kilog. of a peroxide of hydrogen of
from 13 to 14 per cent. is taken to which is added a like quantity of water. To
this solution so much ammonia is added as will turn red litmus paper to a light
blue when the same is dipped into the solution. After the tobacco is saturated with
the solution it is laid by in this state during from 5 to 10 days according as a
nicotine free or partly nicotine free tobacco is required. The desired stage in the
treatment may be ascertained either by trade experts or by analysis.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
A process for the production of tobacco free or partly free from nicotine with
improvement in the quality of the tobacco, consisting in macerating the leaf
tobacco in a watery solution of peroxide of hydrogen with or without addition of
ammonia solution for a length of time until the nicotine is completely or to the
desired extent carried over into oxynicotine and nicotine acid, whereupon the
tobacco is dried at once or after washing out or pressing, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of August 1900.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
15, Tooks Court, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.