Public Health Laboratory Service Board

Andrew Maule

Trevor S Marks

A method for dehalogenation of organohalogen compounds, e.g. environmental pollutants in industrial waste. The organohalogen is reacted with a reducing agent in the presence of a selected metal-centered corrin, porphyrin or phthalocyanine complex. Preferred complexes are hydrolysis products of cyanocobalamin, of formula (I), in which R.sup.1 is NH.sub.2 or OH, R.sup.2 is H, CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH or CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CONH.sub.2, R.sup.3 is H, CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH or CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CONH.sub.2, and R.sup.4 is NHCH.sub.2 CH(OH)CH.sub.3, OH or NH.sub.2. The complex is preferably immobilized on a substrate. Some novel metal-centered porphyrin complexes are also described. A dehalogenation apparatus using the method of the invention is also described. ##STR1##

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Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Andrew Maule