PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF O- AND P-CHLOROTOLUENE

摘要

PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF O- AND P CHLOROTOLUENE of the disclosure: o- and p-chlorotoluene is obtained at practically quantitative yields and excellent quality by continuous chlorination of toluene at a molar number ratio of chlorine to toluene of about 0.4 to 1 and at a temperature of about 5 70.degree.C, in the presence of at least one catalyst being known for such nuclear chlorination reactions, in a parallel current while mixing thoroughly; after completion of the reaction the reaction mixture is freed by distillation from hydrochloric acid and from non-reacted toluene, and the remaining distillation residue is separated immediately to yield the isomeric o- and p-chlorotoluenes. Side-chain chlorination is practically avoided at all by this process, so that cumbersome purification operations such as the removal of chlorine linked to the side chain by boiling under pressure with alkali base may be dispensed with. The chlorotoluenes are partially utilized as solvents, partially as intermediate products e.g. for the manufacture of plant protection agents.