| 摘要 |
Chemical reactions other than polymerization or condensation of organic thermosetting and thermoplastic materials are promoted by irradiating the reacting components with high speed electrons having a velocity equivalent to more than 1 million volts. The irradiation should be carried out during one or more short periods lasting less than 10-1 sec. The reactants may be placed in an electron permeable sealed container and may be heated or cooled, e.g. to -20 DEG to -80 DEG C. The reactants may be irradiated with stirring, with or without usual catalysts, e.g. magnesium, cobalt or nickel oxides, in the presence of air or inert gas or in a partial vacuum or under pressure. The reactants may be treated in the presence of "contact materials" which facilitate reaction during irradiation, but terminate it after irradiation, e.g. oxides of the metals of the second and third groups of the periodic table such as magnesium, zinc, or aluminium. The reactions mentioned are:-oxidation, e.g. benzoic acid to salicylic acid, halogenation, e.g. preparation of benzyl chloride, benzal chloride, and benzo-trichloride, fluorination and chlorination of benzene; nitration, e.g. of toluene; dehydrogenation of non-drying and semi-drying oils to say linseed and tung oils; refining and bleaching of animal and vegetable oils, e.g. cotton seed oil; hydrogenation of vegetable and animal oils, e.g castor, olive, palm coconut, peanut and cottonseed oils; vulcanization of natural and synthetic rubbers; depolymerization of corn starch; the preparation of butadiene say from ethylene and acetylene, isoprene, 2:3 dimethyl butadiene, 2-chlorobutadiene, styrene, acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, indigo from indican and indoxyl sulphuric acid, diazo compounds from azo compounds, Vitamin D from ergosterol, colouring matter from phenol, ammonia and condensation products of aniline with ammonia, nitriles, sulphides, inorganic acids, and esters. The source of radiation and the containers should be of the type described in Specification 673,924. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 comprises also irradiation with neutrons. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted. |
