Bergwerksverband Gmbh

Fritz Mensch

Georg Kolling

Kurt Handrick

A method for production of anthracene from phenanthrene is disclosed. Phenanthrene is hydrogenated at a nickel on a carrier catalyst at temperatures from about 140.degree. C. to 170.degree. C. under a pressure of from about 10 to 30 bar by gradual addition of hydrogen. The hydrogenation product is separated by distillation into sym.-octahydrophenanthrene and asym.-octahydrophenanthrene. The sym.-octahydrophenanthrene is isomerized in the presence of methylene chloride as a solvent and of aluminum chloride as a catalyst at a temperature from about -30.degree. to +5.degree. C. to sym.-octahydroanthracene. The sym.-octahydroanthracene is dehydrogenated at a chromium oxide-aluminum oxide catalyst at temperatures from about 450.degree. to 550.degree. C. to anthracene. The resulting anthracene is obtained with high yield and is very pure after a single recrystallization step.

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Essen-Steele, Germany

Fritz Mensch