Hydroxylamine purification via liquid/liquid extraction

Abstract

A process for obtaining hydroxylammonium salts from aqueous solutions containing hydroxylammonium salts in mixture with ammonium and/or sodium salts. Said solutions are contacted with a water immiscible organic solution containing a cation exchange compound of structure R.sub.1 COOX, or (R.sub.2 O)(R.sub.3 O)POOX, or (R.sub.2 O)PO(OX).sub.2, or mixtures thereof and optionally an additive of structure R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6 PO, or (R.sub.4 O)(R.sub.5 O)(R.sub.6 O)PO, or mixtures thereof, wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group of from twelve to twenty carbon atoms, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are alkyl groups of from six to eighteen carbon atoms, R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are alkyl groups of from three to twelve carbon atoms, and X is H, Na or NH.sub.4, whereby hydroxylammonium ions are preferentially extracted from the aqueous phase in exchange for X from the organic phase. Said organic solution is subsequently contacted with an aqeuous solution of a strong acid, whereby hydroxylammonium ions are extracted into the aqueous phase. Hydroxylammonium salts are obtained by crystallization from said aqueous phase.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.