Production of tris(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-s-1,3,5-triazine

A process for the production of tris(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-s-1,3,5-triazine, which process comprises:

• a) feeding liquid bromine portionwise continuously or discontinuously into a mixture of phenol and water in which the initial ratio of water to phenol is in the range of about 1 to about 10 parts by weight of water per part by weight of phenol, while maintaining the resultant reaction mixture at a temperature in the range of about 5 to about 110.degree. C., until in the range of about 3.0 to about 3.3 moles of Br.sub.2 per mole of phenol have been fed such that there are formed at least (i) an aqueous hydrobromic acid phase, and (ii) an organic phase consisting essentially of molten 2,4,6-tribromophenol;
• b) removing the aqueous hydrobromic acid phase from the molten 2,4,6-tribromophenol, washing the molten 2,4,6-tribromophenol with an aqueous decolorizing solution to reduce the coloration of the 2,4,6-tribromophenol, mixing an aqueous solution of a alkali metal base with the resultant 2,4,6-tribromophenol of reduced coloration in an amount to achieve a pH in the mixture of about 7, and adding a liquid ketone solvent to the resultant neutral mixture;
• c) while the neutral mixture is at a temperature in the range of about 80 to about 100.degree. C., mixing therewith an essentially stoichiometric amount based on the initial amount of phenol used in a), of alkali metal base as an aqueous solution thereof to thereby form a solution of alkali metal salt of tribromophenol;
• and
• d) while the temperature of the solution of alkali metal salt of tribromophenol is in the range of about 50 to about 90.degree. C., feeding continuously or discontinuously a solution of cyanuric chloride in a liquid ketone until an essentially stoichiometric amount based on the initial amount of phenol used in a) has been fed, and agitating the resultant reaction mixture such that tris(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-s-1,3,5-triazine is produced.