Patent ID: 6867336

Claim:
A process for the continuous preparation of 2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3-propanediol, which comprises i) feeding nitromethane and one or two aqueous solutions comprising formaldehyde and alkali metal hydroxide continuously with mixing into a first, cooled reaction zone at molar ratios of formaldehyde to nitromethane of 1.9-2.2:1 and of alkali metal hydroxide to nitromethane of from 0.95:1 to 1.1:1, ii) taking the aqueous reaction mixture obtained in i) continuously from the first reaction zone and directly afterwards feeding this continuously together with bromine into at least one second, cooled reaction zone, and iii) isolating 2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3-propanediol from the aqueous reaction mixture obtained in ii).