IctdcuttàzC TteoAl· C o n s t r u c t i o n of $7,000,000 plant t o m a k e s y n t h e t i c glycerin a n n o u n c e d h y S h e l l C h e m i c a l Corp. • . . R e i c h h o l d c o n v e r t s c h a r c o a l p l a n t for resin production . . . Koppers b u i l d i n g polystyrene p l a n t a t K o b u t a . . . A m e r i c a n P o t a s h Co. e n t e r s finished c h e m i c a l s field A NNOUNCEMENT of the beginning of con-
• " • struction of a seven million dollar plant for the production of glycerin by Shell Chemical Corp. means that thelong-awaited commercial production of synthetic glycerin will become a reality early in 194S. T h e plant will be located in Houston, Tex., and its production is expected t o steady present wide fluctuations i n price and t o ease current shortages, thus encouraging manufacturers t o introduce new products using glycerin as a base or as an important raw material. The process was developed in the laboratories of Shell Development Co. at Emeryville, Calif., and consist** essentially of the following steps. 1. Production of high purity propylene 2. Chlori nation of propylene to allyl chloride 3. Chlorohydri nation of allyl chloride to give glycerin dichlorohydrin 4. Caustic hydrolysis of glycerin dichlorohydrin to glycerin 5. Concentration and purification of the crude glycerin Shell's scientists have conducted pilotplant production of synthetic glycerin over a long period, and state that it meets all requirements as a high quality, chemically pure products. Manufacturers using glycerin in their processes find that i t passes the rigid specifications imposed o n their products.
Reichhold Dutvamish
Converts Works
By Jan. 1, 1947, Reichhold Chemicals, Inc., expects t o • be producing phenolic, urea, and melamine resins for the Pacific Northwest's plywood mills at a 25,000,000 l b . annual rate in a converted Chemical Reichhold
Warfare Service charcoal plant o n t h e Duwamish River in Seattle. Reichhold acquired the plant at 5900 Marginal W a y along with complete laboratories, offices, and dock facilities from the "War Assets Corp. in September of this year. T . S. Hodgins, Seattle district manager and plant superintendent of t h e new installation, announced t h a t t h e company contemplates production of "wet strength" and coating resins for the paper industry and impregnating resins for use in t h e manufacture of plastic-faced plywood. Resins used in t h e formulation of surface coating materials may also be produced.
Koppers to Polystyrene
Build Plant
Koppers Co., Inc., has authorized its engineering and construction division to design and build at Kobuta, Pa., a polystyrene planf with a n annual capacity of 15,000,000 l b . , adjacent t o the styrene and phthalic anhydride plants. The plant will be in operation in about a year. Koppers now is producing polystyrene commercially on a small scale at its Kobuta chemical plant, and expects to make first shipments of this material soon. Small commercial production from these facilities will, continue until the large plant is in operation. Koppers recently purchased the styrene plant and leased certain other facilities at the government-owned chemical plant at Kobuta, and n o w i s producing styrene from benzene at this plant for use in s y n thetic rubber and plastics. Extensive research has been conducted by Koppers for several years o n polystyrene. Pilot plants have been in operaresin
plant
tion a t Mellon Institute, and the processes to b e u..on isotope in concentration between 2 0 a n d 25^). The concentration of C"13 was carried out by D a v i d W. Stewart b^y the chemical exchange method developed! by Harold C. Urey. T h i s metho»d is more productive than the thermal diffusion method with which university laboratories had previously isolated small a m o u n t s of the isotope. The equipment, w h i c h consLsts of fractionating columns four stories haigh, is packed with a special glass -wool. T h e exchange is from a solution in the coLumn t o a gas which is bubbled thorough it-. Initial production is on a small scale only, but larger fTact iona-.ting columns, now nearing completion, w ill increase by about six times tine arnouant of isotope concentrated, according t«o William O. Kenyon, head of the* Rochester laboratory's organic chemical department. Kodak has agreed to supply essentially its entire initial production, particularly concentrations abo*ve 18%-, to t h e Committee on Growth*, National Research Council, acting for the American Cancer Society, for tracer u s e in the sstudy o f cancer and metabolic diseases. Siwiall and as yet undetermined a m o u n t s of" C" will be produced a t lower concentrations which will be available for reguLar commercial distribution subject to cer-tain priorities given to the Committee on Orowth. Tentative prices based on smalU-scale production range from Sl'00 per gram o f excess C 13 in the 3 to b%, range -to $250 in the 16.1 to 1 8 % range a n d $400 sat 23.1 t o 26 %. C. E. K. Mees, director o ^ Eastman K o dak research, s t a t e d that in addition to C 18 enriched potassium cyatnide, t h e com-
VOLUME
2 4-, NCK
pany will soon make synthetic organic compounds containing the carbon isotope. "It is expected that methanol will be one of the first of these compounds," said Dr. Mees.
$40,000 Prises far Sugar Research Scientists of all countries have been invited to compete for prizes totaling $40,000 posted by the Sugar Research Foundation. Established to stimulate scientific studies of sugar as a food and an industrial raw material which may lead to its greater usefulness, awards of $5,000 will be given in 1947, 1948, and 1949 with a grand prize of $25,000 to be given in 1950 for the most significant discovery of the preceding five years. At the present time, 44 projects dealing with the physiological, chemical, and. industrial aspects of sugar and i t s derivatives are being sponsored by the foundation at universities. In addition, existing information about sugar is collated and made available in a series of scientific reports. The foundation is supported by the Sugar producers and processors of the United States, Cuba, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Entries for the award, which will be given in March 1947 should be in the hands
NEWS of the executive secretary of the National Science Fund, National Academy of Sciences, Washington 25, D . C , no later than Feb. 1, 1947. Members of the Advisory Committee in charge of recommendations for the award include: A. B. Hastings, Harvard University; C\ F. Kettering, General Motors Corp.; C. S. Marvel, .University of Illinois; E. W. Sinnott, Yale University; W. C . Stadie, University of Pennsylvania; and Vincent Du Vigneaud, Cornell University Medical College. T h e First Intermediate Prize was awarded recently to W. Z. Hassid, H. A. Barker, and M. DoudorofT of the University of California, for the enzymatic synthesis of crystalline sucrose.
Standard Oil Consolidate
to Marketing
Standard Oil Co. ( N e w Jersey) is currently engaged in consolidating its varied chemical marketing activities into a single organization, which will probably be operated as a new subsidiary, according to Now York newspaper reports. D e tails of the consolidation may be known shortly when an official announcement is issued, the reports add. Representatives of the company decline to comment other than t o point out that unverified stories of the proposed
Cotu&utttu?... HIGH MELTING POINT
WAXES The value of high melting point waxes to the packaging and processing industries, augmented by the demands made of them during the war years, continues to increase — and Bareco Microcrystalline Waxes continue to lead the field. The manufacture of these fine quality high melting point waxes ( 1 7 0 / 1 7 5 ° F — 190/195°F) is the main objective of the operations and the research work at our modern Barnsdall refinery — for waxmaking comes first with Bareco. You owe it to yourself to investigate these outstanding properties of Bareco Waxes. . . . HIGH WATER VAPOR RESISTANCE • EXCELLENT ELECTRICAL AND ADHESIVE CHARACTERISTICS • SUPERIOR HEAT-SEALING PROPERTIES • ODORLESS AND TASTELESS • CHEMICALLY INERT Write for our illustrated bulletin.
BARECO OIL COMPANY Box 2 0 0 9
Tulsa, Oklahoma
24 . . D E C E M B E R
2 5,
1946
Samples available
Widener Bldg.
in black, white and
Philadelphia 7, Pa.
amber.
3367
INDUSTRIAL
5
Aleut Jlettikt GUemJcali*
Benzilic A c i d Diphenylacetic A c i d Phenylacetamide Phenylacetic A c i d Phenylacetone These intermediates are finding increased use a s starting materials for the manufacture of a host of physiologically active derivatives, especially in the synthesis of antispasmodics, anticonvulsants, sympathomimetic agents, a n d antibiotics. W e solicit your inquiries for experimental samples and quotations on commercial quantities.
B. L. Lemke & Co., Inc. Organic Chemicals Division 2 5 0 West Broadway
y. 13,
N.
Tjp* LN
_«^71 E
N.
y.
No
Conn.
Cunn
On Dia
Cotc
016-
206
020'
210
.020" 216 2
}. 4 NN 2 M M 2 028" 216
3
>
