Catalyst and process for producing organic polysulfide
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorJames E. Shaw
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Abstract
A composition comprising a base and an alkoxylated compound selected from an alkoxylated alcohol and alkoxylated mercaptan is disclosed. The composition can be used to catalyze the reaction of a mercaptan and an elemental sulfur to produce a polysulfide compound. The polysulfide compound can be further treated with an alkylene oxide to reduce the mercaptan sulfur content of the polysulfide compound.
Claims23
A process for producing an organic polysulfide comprising the steps of:
- (1) contacting a mercaptan with elemental sulfur in the presence of a catalyst which is a mixture comprising a base and an alkoxylated mercaptan to produce an organic polysulfide, and (2) contacting said organic polysulfide with an alkylene oxide wherein said mercaptan has about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms per molecule;
- said process is carried out under conditions suitable for producing an organic polysulfide;
- said alkoxylated mercaptan has a general formula of R.sup.1 SCH.sub.2 CH(R.sup.2)O!.sub.n H;
- R.sup.1 is a hydrocarbyl radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl radical, alkenyl radical, alkylaryl radical, aryl radical and cycloalkyl radical;
- R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C.sub.1 C.sub.16 alkyl radical, and C.sub.2 -C.sub.16 alkenyl radical;
- and n is an integer of from 1 to about 20;
- and the weight ratio of said alkoxylated mercaptan to said base is in the range of from about 1:
- 1 to about 999:1.
A process for producing an organic polysulfide comprising contacting a mercaptan with elemental sulfur in the presence of a catalyst which is a mixture comprising a base and an alkoxylated alcohol wherein said process is carried out under conditions suitable for producing said organic polysulfide;
- said alkylated alcohol has a general formula of R.sup.1 OCH.sub.2 CH(R.sup.2)O!.sub.n H;
- R.sup.1 is a hydrocarbonyl radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl radical, alkylaryl radical, aryl radical, cycloalkyl radical and alkenyl radical;
- R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.16 alkyl radical, and C.sub.2 -C.sub.16 alkenyl radical;
- n is a number of from 1 to about 20;
- and the weight ratio of said alkoxylated alcohol to said base is in the range of from about 1:1 to about 999:1.
A process for producing a stable t-dodecyl trisulfide comprising:
- (1) contacting t-dodecyl mercaptan with an elemental sulfur in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature in the range of from 50.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. for 30 minutes to 5 hours to form a product mixture;
- wherein said catalyst is prepared by heating sodium hydroxide and an ethoxylated alcohol having the formula of R.sup.1 O(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.7 H wherein R.sup.1 is a secondary alkyl radical having 11-15 carbon atoms;
- (2) sparging said product mixture with an inert gas to form a product having a substantially reduced H.sub.2 S content;
- (3) adding propylene oxide to said product having a substantially reduced HS content to form a polysulfide-propylene oxide mixture;
- and (4) heating said polysulfide-alkylene oxide mixture at a temperature in the range of from about 60.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. for about 30 minutes to about 5 hours.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.