The Dow Chemical Company

David J Koranek

George J Quarderer, Jr

Danil Tirtowidjojo

Douglas C Greminger

David L Trent

Edwin R Henson

Kim G Bargeron

Cheryl A Tirtowidjojo

Curtis N Swisher

Erik J Stewart

A process of preparing alkylene oxides comprises steps of: (1) optionally forming a hypochlorite solution; (2) contacting chlorine with a solution of a hypochlorite below about 60.degree. C., and a pH of less than about 5.5, with sufficient micromixing to achieve a product hypochlorous acid in a yield of at least about 80 percent; (3) separating at least a portion the hypochlorous acid from an aqueous metal chloride solution wherein the solution is sprayed as droplets; (4) distilling the remaining liquid phase; (5) absorbing the hypochlorous acid and dichlorine monoxide in low-chlorides water to produce a low-chlorides aqueous hypochlorous acid solution; (6) contacting the low-chlorides aqueous hypochlorous acid solution with an olefin in a continuous process to form a olefin chlorohydrin; (7) optionally contacting the olefin chlorohydrin with a base to form a alkylene oxide and a salt solution; and (8) optionally separating the alkylene oxide from the salt solution. (9) optionally removing chlorates from the chloride brine by contacting the chlorates with acid to convert the chlorates to chlorine; and (10) optionally recycling the chlorine. The process yields particularly high yields of the alkylene oxide without substantial production of by-products.

Process for preparing alkylene oxides

Tetrachloropyridine, more specifically 2,3,5,6-tetrachloropyridine, can be efficiently prepared by reacting pentachloropyridine in water with an oxidizable metal such as zinc, in the absence of an added mineral or organic hydrogen donating acid.

Preparation of tetrachloropyridine

In a new method of producing 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid 3,4,5,6-tetrachloropicolinonitrile is reacted with ammonium hydroxide, preferably at about 130.degree. C. to about 160.degree. C. The free acid is precipitated upon acidification of the reaction mixture and may be recovered therefrom.

Preparation of 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid

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Lake Jackson, TX, United States of America

David J Koranek