Organic Chemistry

Organic chemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies the structure, properties and reactions of organic compounds, which contain carbon in covalent bonding

Propadiene:

Propadiene or allene is the organic compound with the formula H2C=C=CH2. It is the simplest allene i.e. a compound with two adjacent carbon double bonds. (Di means two and ene means alkene)

Hydrogen peroxide:

• simplest peroxide (a compound with an oxygen–oxygen single bond)
• It is unstable and slowly decomposes in the presence of light
• The net reaction for the anthraquinone-catalyzed process is : H2 + O2 →H2O2
• It is very dangerous and flammable. Hence, it is not allowed to produce it with 100% concentration
• This process is a cyclic operation where the alkyl anthraquinone is reused. The Synthesis Loop consists of sequential hydrogenation to saturate the double bonds with presence of catalyst, filtration to remove catalyst, oxidation by blowing air to produce peroxide and extraction stages to have hydrogen peroxide in aqueous phase not in an organic phase.

• The hydrogen peroxide manufacturing process uses natural gas, hydrogen and organic solvents, all of which are highly flammable.

Applications:

• Bleaching: Sodium percarbonate, which is an adduct of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide, is the active ingredient in such laundry products
• Production of organic compounds

Aldehydes and Ketones

Both aldehydes and ketones contain a carbonyl group. In an aldehyde, the carbonyl group is bonded to at least one hydrogen atom. In a ketone, the carbonyl group is bonded to two carbon atoms.

We can prepare a carbonyl group by oxidation of an alcohol

Carboxylic Acids and Esters

Both carboxylic acids and esters contain a carbonyl group with a second oxygen atom bonded to the carbon atom in the carbonyl group by a single bond.

The odor of ripe bananas and many other fruits is due to the presence of esters.

Because esters do not have hydrogen bonds between molecules, they have higher vapor pressures than the alcohols and carboxylic acids.

Weaker intermolecular forces: higher vapor pressure

Glycerol

It is a simple polyol compound. Glycerol (glycerine) C3H5(OH)3 starts to be a waste co-product (~10%) of biodiesel production. We are testing the Glycerol conversion into syngas through partial oxidation using our GlidArc-assisted reformer that ECP has already used for the natural- or bio-gas as well as for liquid fuels, wastes or bio-oils reforming.

Methanol

Applications:

1. Formaldehyde (Methanal): Methanol is primarily converted to formaldehyde, which is widely used in many areas, especially polymers. The conversion entails catalytic oxidation of methanol

2CH3OH+O2=2CH2O+H2O

2. Methanol to hydrocarbons, olefins, gasoline

3. Gasoline additive

4. Energy carrier

5. Fuel: One problem with high concentrations of methanol in fuel is that alcohols corrode some metals, particularly aluminium. Methanol fuel has been proposed for ground transportation. The chief advantage of a methanol economy is that it could be adapted to gasoline internal combustion engines with minimum modification to the engines and to the infrastructure that delivers and stores liquid fuel. Its energy density is however only half that of gasoline, meaning that twice the volume of methanol would be required.

Organoalminium compounds: containing bonds between carbon and aluminium. The behavior of organoaluminium compounds can be understood in terms of the polarity of the C−Al bond and the high Lewis acidity of the three-coordinated species.

Lewis acidity: empty orbital which is capable of accepting an electron pair from a Lewis base to form a Lewis adduct

• Triethylaluminium (TEA): This colorless liquid is pyrophoric. If it ignites spontaneously in air at or below 54 °C (129 °F) (for gases) or within 5 minutes after coming into contact with air (for liquids and solids)

Inorganic Chemistry

An inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound

Aluminium oxide (Bayer process):

Alumina is extracted from Bauxite. First, the bauxite ore is mechanically crushed. Then, the crushed ore is mixed with caustic soda (NaOH). Then, the slurry is sent to the digester, where it is heated to 270 degrees celsius under pressure.

Digestion: Al2O3.2H2O+NaOH=2NaAlO2+3H2O / 270 degrees celsius

Then, it is sent to the settling tank as the slurry rests in the tank. Impurities that does not dissolve in the caustic soda settle to the bottom of the vessel. The remaining liquid is pumped through a series of cloth filters.Any fine particles of impurities that remain in the solution are trapped by filters.

The sodium aluminate solution is pumped into a large precipitators. Aluminium hydroxide seed crystals are added to the solution.

Percipitation: NaAlO2+2H2O=NaOH+Al(OH)3/ 50–60 degrees celsius

Then, the crystals are heated to 1100 degrees celsius

Calcination: 3Al(OH)3=Al2O3+3H2O/ 1100 degrees celsius