FORMATION OF NITRATE ESTERS IN MICROREACTORS AND MILLIREACTORS USING A CONTINUOUS PRODUCT EXTRACTION IN A TURBULENT FLOW REGIME

摘要

A process for the continuous production of a compound of Formula (II), HO-R1-ONO2 (II) wherein R1 is a straight chain alkyl radical having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, in a two-phase solvent system, comprising contacting a compound of Formula (I), HO-R1-OH (I) wherein R1 is as defined above, with nitric acid in the presence of a first solvent, wherein the compound of Formula (II) is continuously extracted into a second solvent, and the reaction is carried out in a mixing microreactor which provides a power loss of at least 1.3 times the power loss provided under identical conditions by a circular cross-section straight-channel microreactor having an internal diameter equal to the average hydraulic diameter of the mixing microreactor and a length equal to the length of the mixing microreactor.