CHEMICALS
Ifaconic Goes Commercial Dibasic acid with double bond placed in production by Pfizer using fermentation - v a r i e d uses predicted ΡΟΜΕΟΝΈ has defined a "fine chemi^ cal" as one that performs manytasks, has large-volume outlets, and a. satisfactory price. It could be that Chas. Pfizer and Co. has something like that in itaconic acid, which has been placed in production at its Brook lyn, Ν . Υ., and Groton, Conn., plants employing fermentation and low-cost carbohydrate raw materials. Itaconic (a rearrangement of aconitic acid) is described as an unsatu rated dibasic acid of multifunctional structure: CHo — C —COOH
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HoC—COOH It polymerizes by itself and copolymerizes with many other compounds^ which led Allan J. Greene, director ο JE Pfizer's commercial development, t o predict at a N e w York press confer ence an expanding market for itaconic « Thirteen typewritten pages of patents supplied an idea of its potential ap plications and explained Pfizer's opti mism. Itaconic acid, also known a s methylene succinic acid, forms tho usual carboxylic acid derivatives of un saturated dibasic acids and also exhi bits t h e reaction of a compound con taining an unhindered double bond. Replacement for Maleic. In textile fibers it will supply stabilizers and ren der t h e fibers acceptable t o dyes. For synthetic coatings it is said to b e better than maleic acid as to quality, prob ably not as t o price. Carload quanti ties will be priced for the time being at 59 cents per pound, lesser amounts at 60 cents. Itaconic's double boncl will allow cross linking in alkyds, accelerating the cure, and open up nev^ possibilities as well in polyesters, phenol-formaldehyde, and synthetic rubber-like compounds. It renders some of them water resistant. It will act as a binder and curing agent and improve qualities in deter gents, lubricants, cellophane, insecti cides, and drugs. It is nontoxic. T h e two carboxylic acid groups, the conju gated double bond, and an allylic methylene group activated by a carboxyl is said to make itaconic acid a powerful intermediate in the prepara tion of complex organic chemical corrapounds. Others on W a y . John E. McKeen, Pfizer's chemist-president, said itaconic; was a n example of research being con 1374
ducted to m a k e even their own proc esses obsolete. Triey had made the product previously in a less efficient manner for high-cost fermentation ma terials. Thanks to microorganisms and low-cost carbohydrates, which can compete successfully with petrochemi cals, it can now be m a d e in volume for industry. It was admitted that the 60-cent price was high. They were certain it could b e brought down as volume increased. Itaconic acid was one of a series of fermentation prod ucts, McKeen said, which they hope to announce in t h e future. "By offering such new organic eriemicals," he continued, "Pfizer hopes t o supply the chemical and allied in dustries with a new store of chemical building blocks with which to make better synthetic fibers, detergents, lubricants, plastics, surface coatings, cellophane, insecticides, dyestuffs, drugs, and other products." Itaconic has a specific gravity of 1.63 a n d a melting point of 165° to 166° C. I n physical appearance it is a white crystalline powder. Other Possible Uses. A technical bulletin supplies detailed information o n a number of suggested uses for itaconic acid. In addition to applica tions discussed above, it is shown that copolymers of itaconic anhydride and vinyl acetate are even useful as soil conditioners. Low-molecular weight diesters of itaconic acid are useful in cross linking of unsaturated polyesters. They are less volatile than styrene, and triere is a smaller loss of material be fore completion of the cure. Copolymers of itaconic acid or its derivatives with various unsaturated compounds are said to provide excel lent pour-point depressants and vis cosity index improvers for lubricating oils. • Dibutyl f u t n a r a t e , a reactive resin a n d chemical intermediate, is offered i n semicommercial quantities by Monsanto's organic chemicals division. Compound is a clear, essentially color less liquid which homopolymerizes. I t also forms copolymers with various monomers under adjusted reaction conditions to produce polymers rang i n g from brittle resins to soft, internally plasticized materials. As a chemical intermediate, i t yields substituted suc cinates readily with addition of halo
gens, aldehydes, thiols, and similar compounds. With conjugated dienes, it readily undergoes the Diels-Alder reaction. CS 1 • Fly bait offered by Pittsburgh Coke & Chemical is said to kill both resistant and nonresistant flies in seconds and provide u p to 9 8 % kills within a few hours after a single application. Called Dipterex-199 ? it contains Bayer Com p o u n d L - 1 3 / 5 9 as active ingredient. CS2 • Carbide a n d Carbon Chemicals has
developed a new series of rust-pre ventive fluids for coating metal parts before storage. T h e fluids, designated Ucon coating fluids, can be burned cleanly from metal surfaces after stor age. They can also b e removed with solvents, or, in some cases, b y mild scouring with water. Ucon fluids are offered in several viscosity grades and are said t o have negligible solvent or swelling effects on varions types of rubber. CS 3 • Nonionic softener developed by Dex ter Chemical is said to have no wetting or re wetting properties. Called Dextrol GM-94, softener is designed specifically for use with water repellents of both p e r m a n e n t and nonpermanent types. GM-94 does not affect the spray rating of fabrics, and it has a high resistance to salt, acids, and alkalies. Company says it does not develop odor or color in storage of treated fabrics. CS 4 • Corrosion-resistant neoprene lining,
NeoLine, flows on like paint to indus trial surfaces—fan blades, fume ducts, process vessels, and valves and piping. Offered b y Pennsalt, product is said to comhine corrosion inertness of neo p r e n e with excellent strength and ad hesion. Tests have shown a range of resistance to corrosives up to 200° F., and NeoLine has stood up against many chemicals at temperatures ranging from - 5 0 ° to 2 0 0 ° F. CS5 • Philadelphia Q u a r t z is offering a form of amorphous silica under trade n a m e of Quso. Particle size of this silica is a b o u t 15 millimicrons.. It is a white, free-flowing powder of extremely light weight with a surface area that can be varied between 135 and 215 square meters per gram. Depending on the user's requirements, product can b e offered with a p H ranging from 6 to 9. Compound is hydrophilic, heat stable, completely insoluble, and has a high oil absorbency. CS 6
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