Patent ID: 7247286

Claim:
A process for production of sodium borohydride; said process comprising steps of: (a) combining a boric acid ester precursor and an alcohol, ROH; wherein R represents alkyl having at least three carbon atoms, aryl or aralkyl; to produce a boric acid ester, B(OR) 3 ; (b) combining sodium, aluminum and hydrogen to produce sodium aluminum hydride; (c) combining the boric acid ester and the sodium aluminum hydride to produce sodium borohydride and Al(OR) 3 and separating sodium borohydride and Al(OR) 3 by dissolving Al(OR) 3 in a hydrocarbon solvent; and (d) combining the Al(OR) 3 produced in step (c) and sulfuric acid to produce alum and ROH; wherein ROH produced in step (d) is recycled to step (a).