EIGHT NATIONAL CHEMICAL EXPOSITION ^MîéamL· 'Goliseiinfr OcfcM2ftb^15
Ν OTED for its innovations in the exposition field, the Eighth National Chemical Exposition does not fail to live up to its reputa tion. In addition to such holdovers as the Trail Blazers of Chem istry and the art exhibit, this year's show adds "Chem-Phot-Ex," a photographic exhibit of chemical subjects by chemists, and a book exhibit featuring books on all phases of chemistry and chemi cal engineering. Exposition will run Oct. 12 to 15, and is under the sponsorship of the Chicago Section of the ACS. Other features of the four-day event are a Symposium on Exposition Marketing sponsored by the Chemical Market Re search Association and a Symposium on Transportation, Packag ing, and Labeling of Chemicals sponsored by the Manufacturing Chemists Association. Continuing its I&EC Exposition Lecture Series initiated last year at Philadelphia, the editors of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry will present Contributing Editor David E. Pierce in a talk on "New Developments in Chemical Process Equipment and Design." At a dinner on Tuesday evening, Ε. Η. Volwiler, president of Abbott Laboratories and chairman of the Board of Directors of the ACS, will receive the Chemical Industry Medal from the American section of the Society of Chemical Industry. At the meeting of the Chicago Section of Friday evening, Walter Reppe of Badische Anilin- & Soda- Fabrik speaks on "Technical Problems of the Modern Acetylene and Carbon Monoxide Industry."
WEDNESDAY. OCT. 13
Symposium on Transportation, Packaging, and Labeling of Chemicals (Sponsored by Manufacturing Chemists' 9:30 A.M. Introductory Remarks. 9:40 A.M.
C. W. BENBURY.
4:30 P.M.
TUESDAY. OCT. 12
Awarded by the Ameri
can section of the Society of Chemical Industry. Reception: Room 14, Palmer House. 7:30 P.M. Dinner, ReH Lacquer Room. CLIFFORD ι . RASSWEILER. Introduction. ROGER ADAMS. The Medalist. LAUREN B. HITCHCOCK. Presentation of the Medal. ERNEST H. VOLWILER. Medal Address.
3588
Eco
Fiber Containers.
THURSDAY. OCT. 14
8 : 1 5 P.M.
CAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
The
CARL E. PRUETT. Plastic Containers. H. W. HAMILTON. Aerosols.
Program of Events
Chemical Industry Medal Award 6:30 P.M. Award of the Chemical Industry Medal to Ε. Η. Volwiler, president of Abbott Laboratories and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the AMERI
JOHN W. KEELER, DONALD G. WARD.
nomics of Chemical Transportation. 10:40 A.M. Panel discussion on Bulk Transportation of Chemi cals: Τ. Η. CALDWELL. Tank Cars. W. E. MORGAN. Tank Motor Vehicles. F. G. MOORE. Tank Vessels and Barges. 2:00 P.M. R. D. MINTEER. The Precautionary Labeling of Hazardous Chemicals. 2 : 3 0 P.M. Panel Discussion on Smaller Bulk Containers. R. H. LONG. Metal Drums and Cylinders. L. B. KEPLINGER. Lining Developments.
6:00 P.M.
Symposium on Exposition Marketing ( Sponsored by Chemical Market Research Association ) 2:00 P.M. G. A. HARRINGTON. Introductory Remarks. (Speaker to be announced). Principles of Indus trial Product Promotion. Η. Ε. ROBINSON. Exhibitions, An Example of Show case Promotion. W. A. LANG. Guides for Exhibitors. E. P. SUTORIUS. Case Histories.
Association)
DAVID E. PIERCE.
New Developments in Chemical
Process Equipment and Design (Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Lecture ). Purchasing Agents Association of Chicago. Special chemical program (Sherman Hotel). Midwest Chapter Armed Forces Chemical Associa tion meeting (Coliseum). Speaker: John Slezak, Under Secretary of the Army, Department of De fense.
FRIDAY, OCT. 15 9 : 3 0 A.M.
12:00 P . M .
1:15 P . M . 2 : 0 0 P.M.
3:45 P . M . 4:45 P . M . 6 : 0 0 P.M.
Retail Merchants Program (repetition of Thursday program ). Your Introduction to the Chemical Industry ( Special program for college and university seniors and graduate students). Chemistry and chemical engineering seniors in vari ous colleges and universities within a half-day's travel time from Chicago, and any graduate stu dents interested, are invited to accompany their professors to the following program. Registra tion begins at noon. I&EC Lecture (David E. Pierce repeats Thursday lecture). WALTER J. PODBIELNIAK, GEORGE KINCAID.
Lecture
demonstrations of new and unusual equipment. Conducted tours of the exposition. Buffet supper (complimentary) through courtesy of various Chicago organizations interested in the chemical industry. GEORGE L
PARKHURST.
Your Introduction to the
Chemical Industry. CHEMICAL
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
FRIDAY EVENING 8:00 P.M.
m
Chicago Section ACS meeting, Upper South Hall, Chicago Coliseum. HERMAN S. BLOCH, Presiding. Presentation of awards to winners in Art and Photographic Exhibits. J. C. WARNER. Introduction of the speaker. WALTER REPPE. Technical Problems of Modern Acetylene and Carbon Monoxide Chemistry. NOTE: Specially conducted tours of selected high school students, accompanied by their instructors, will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, by appointment.
THURSDAY. OCT. 14. AND FRIDAY. OCT. 15 Retail Merchants Program (Upper South Hall, Chicago Coliseum) With the cooperation of the State Street Council and the Chicago Association of Retail Merchants, buyers, merchandisers, and supervisors from all of the Chicago retail stores will attend a special program at 9:30 on Thursday and Friday mornings. Lynn Scott, home economist and director of the Plaskon Home Arts Council, will present a special lecture-demonstration to try to give these key personnel of the retail stores a better concept of the possibilities and limitations of the newer chemical products —plastics, fibers, paints, and all "synthetics." This feature is presented by the Chicago Section of the ACS, in an attempt to give the general public a better appreciation of the part played by the chemical industry in everyday living. Miss Scott, who appears through the courtesy of the Barrett Division of Allied Chemical & Dye, will be backed up by a number of technical men who are specialists in the various fields concerned, and who will act as a panel to try to answer questions after the talk. Following this, members of the groxip will be taken on conducted tours of the special exhibits, particularly the petrochemicals and aviation exhibits, and a selected group of the commercial exhibits. Special Exhibits Trail Blazers of Chemistry Affords opportunity for graphic and visual presentation of specific achievements and methods in research and teaching. Space provided for exhibitor to present a significant idea or result in panel form.
EXPOSITION
Advisory C o m m i t t e e ALLEN ABRAMS Vice President, Marathon Corp. MAURICE F. CRASS, JR. Manufacturing Chemists' Association LAWRENCE H . FLETT Chemical Market Research Association D. B. KEYES American Institute of Chemists SIDNEY D. KIRKPATRICK McGraw-Hill Publishing C o . ARTHUR T. LEONARD Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry H O W A R D A . MARPLE Monsanto Chemical C o . CARL S. MINER The Miner Laboratories WALTER J . MURPHY Editor, A C S Industrial Publications GEORGE L. PARKHURST Oronite Chemical C o . H . W . SCHULTZ Oregon State College R A Y M O N D STEVENS Arthur D. Little, Inc. E. H. VOLWILER Chairman of the Board, American Chemical Society E. R. WEIDLEIN Mellon Institute of Industrial Research
COMMITTEE Art Exhibit Sculpture and paintings. Works will be placed in modern or classical group and ribbons will be awarded in each class (oils, temperas, water colors, drawings, and prints).
Paul E. Fanta Trail Blazers
T. U. Marron Chairman
James R. Irving Retail Program VOLUME
Herman Kerst Chem-Phot-Ex
3 2, NO.
Seymour Goldfarb Art Exhibit
Subcommittee C h a i r m e n William P. Utermohlen Special Exhibits Frank J. Hopp Models Exhibit Charles K. Hunt High School Student Program Edward M. Kushibab Book Exhibit
Robert J. Reinarts A. E. Schneider Carl B. Williams Student Program Assistant Chairman Registration
37 • SEPTEMBER
13,
1954
R. D . Trelease Publicity
James J. Doheny Manager 3589
CHEMICAL EXPOSITION Petrochemicals
Photographic E x h i b i t — " C h e m - P h o t - E x "
Will feature photographs of rhemieal subjects by chemists.
A huge exhibit, approximately 90 feet long, originally built for the International Petroleum Exposition in Tulsa last year, will be shown.
Book Exhibit
" C h e m i s t r y Flies"
A cooperative book exhibit is being arranged. In addition to exhibit of new technical books, the John Crerar Library will present a. special display of old and significant books in the chemical industry. Special Libraries Association will also have a display.
A newly built exhibit of the U. S. Air Force, over 60 feet long, shows the many applications of chemistry to aviation. Was shown for first time at Armed Forces Chemical Association meeting in Washington and will be brought in from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
THE COVER.
Chemicals from Small Building Blocks A LTIIOUGH: it is far from common**• place, it is not unusual for a chemist to lend his name to a particular reaction or piece of apparatus. But it is unusual for him to give his name to an entire branch of chemistry. However, that is just what Walter Reppe has done. H e has devoted much of his past 25 years to reactions of acetylene under pressure. His success has been rewarded with the title "Reppe Chemistry" being given to this field of work. His favorite topic—technical problems of modern acetylene and carbon monoxide chemistry—will be subject of the lecture he is to give as closing event of the National Chemical Exposition in Chicago on Oct. 15. This will be the third of a series of 16 scheduled lectures he will give during his stay in the U. S. from Sept. 28 or 29 to Nov. 19. His visit has been organized by the Carnegie Institute of Technology, where h e is to be Koppers Visiting Professor of Chemistry. His lecture tour will take him from New York to San Francisco, from Montreal to Houston. While gaining his title of "Mr. Acetylene Chemistry/' Reppe has developed a series of basic process which fall into four main groups: (1) vinylation, ( 2 ) ethynylation, (3) cyclopolymerization, and (4) carbonylation. It is characteristic of these reactions that small building blocks, such as acetylene, ethylene, carbon monoxide, and water, can be converted by suitable catalysts into valuable products of a higher molecular weight. With his vinylation process such compounds as vinyl ethers, esters, amines, and amides can be built u p . Some of these vinyl compounds are valuable monomers for polymerization products such as polyvinylpyrrolidone blood plasma substitute and polyvinylcarbazol ( L u v i c a n ) . Production of butynediol from acetylene and aqueous formaldehyde became not only the key to large-scale utilization of the butadiene process, but, i n a variety of modifications, 3590
brought a large number of technically interesting products, among them butanediol, tetrahydrofuran, butyrolactone, and pyrrolidone. Reppe's cyclopolymerization process gives cyclooctatetraene, from acetylene, making possible eight-membered ring chemistry. Using acetylene, carbon monoxide, and alcohols, he was able to make acrylic acid esters. Applying Process to Olefins. Reppe extended the experiences gained in the carbonylation of acetylene to olefins and developed new syntheses for commercial production of carboxylic acids, their derivatives, alcohols, amines, and polyketones. These new reactions were first made possible by the discovery of catalysts which act quite specifically. The mode of acting of these catalysts also gives an insight into the mechanism of catalysis. Many of Reppe's processes have been carried to the commercial stage under his supervision at the Badische Anilinu n d Soda-fabrik plant at Ludwigshafen am Rhein, where he started to work in 1921 and is now director of research. His first work there was the customary introductory work on azo dyes and their by-products. Soon he turned his attention to the preparation of pinene from turpentine oil, important to the synthesis of camphor. This was the first work h e carried through the pilot plant scale. In 1923 Reppe left the main labs of BASF to undertake work in the indigo labs of the plant. Besides problems of dye chemistry, he perfected catalytic dehydration of formamide to hydrocyanic acid. This he developed to commercial operation. A year later he was entrusted with the solvents and plastics plants of the indigo department. He remained with this department for 10 years, finally as the diiector's deputy. For a series of manufacturing processes carried on there he demonstrated basically new processing techniques. Among these are the catalytic hydro-
genation of acetaldehyde to ethyl alcohol, crotonaldehyde to n-butyraldehyde and rc-butanyl alcohol; the aminating hydrogenation of aliphatic aldehydes to amines, and the production of butadiene by the classic four-step process. Ethylene Developments. Particularly important is Reppe's share in the development of ethylene chemistry. H e created new processes for commercial production of ethylene chlorohydrin, ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol and its ethers, and for acrylic acid esters from ethylene oxide. The knowledge gained from his work with ethylene was applied to the cracking of oils. In 1934 Reppe was given the direction of the newly founded by-products and plastics lab. In 1937 h e was made an officer and in 1939 a director of IG Farbenindustrie. In 1938 he had returned to the main labs of BASF as their director and in 1949 h e was made head of all research of the company. His work has found rich recognition in the scientific world. To add to the doctor of philosophy degree which he received for work under K. H. Meyer, he has received two honorary doctorates in recent years. The Munich Technical University awarded him the honorary degree of doctor of engineering in 1949. In the same year the University of Heidelberg awarded him a doctor of philosophy in natural sciences. In 1949, Reppe was awarded the Adolf von Baeyer Medal of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker; in 1950 the Gauss Medal of the Brunswick Scientific Society; in 1952 the D E C H E M A Medal of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Chemisches Apparatewesen and, by the president of the Federal Republic, the Cross of Merit, with Star, of the Federal Republic. He is a member of the LeopoldinischCarolinische Deutsche Akademie in Halle ( 1 9 4 2 ) , member of the board of directors of the Deutsches Museum (1952), honorary member of the Real Sociedad Espanola de Fisica y Quimica (1953), honorary member of the Japanese Chemical Society ( 1 9 5 4 ) , and honorary professor of the University of Mainz ( 1 9 5 1 ) , and honorary professor of the Technical University of Darmstadt ( 1 9 5 1 ) .
CHEMICAL
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
