Preparation of ethylenediamine dinitrate
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorKien-yin Lee
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Abstract
Method for the preparation of ethylenediamine dinitrate. Ethylenediamine dinitrate, a useful explosive, may readily be prepared by solvent extraction of nitrate ion from an acidic aqueous solution thereof using a high-molecular-weight, water-insoluble amine dissolved in an organic solvent, and reacting the resulting organic solution with ethylenediamine. The process of the instant invention avoids the use of concentrated nitric acid, as is currently practiced, resulting in a synthesis which is far less hazardous especially for large quantities of the explosive, and more efficient.
Claims7
A method for the preparation of ethylenediamine dinitrate which comprises the steps of:
- a. forming an aqueous phase which includes nitrate ions in an acidic environment;
- b. forming a liquid organic phase which includes at least one water-insoluble amine capable of extracting nitric acid from aqueous solution;
- c. contacting said liquid organic phase with said aqueous phase for a time period sufficient to achieve significant extraction of said nitrate ions in an acidic environment by said water-insoluble amine producing thereby a nitrate salt of said amine, said salt being soluble in said liquid organic phase;
- d. separating said aqueous phase from said liquid organic phase containing said nitrate salt of said amine, said aqueous phase being depleted in nitrate ions and an equivalent of hydrogen ions;
- e. contacting said liquid organic phase containing said nitrate salt of said amine with ethylenediamine for a sufficient time period for substantial chemical reaction to occur, whereby ethylenediamine dinitrate is produced, the liquid organic phase becoming depleted in said nitrate salt of said amine;
- and
- f. separating the ethylenediamine dinitrate from said liquid organic phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.