Development of Methods for the Synthesis of Neopentyl Glycol by Hydrogenation of Hydroxypivaldehyde

Neopentyl glycol (NPG) is a precursor for the manufacture of many valuable products of industrial importance such as polyester, polyurethane and alkyd resins, synthetic lubricants, hydraulic fluids, drugs, etc. The structure of NPG provides the resins with excellent hydrolytic stability, resistance to weather conditions, good flexibility-hardness balance, and outstanding functional properties. The paper presents a literature review on the development of methods for NPG preparation, focusing primarily on the synthesis of NPG by hydrogenation of hydroxypivaldehyde, which is obtained by the crossed aldol condensation of isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde. Preparation of the substrates, catalysts, technical and apparatus solutions, and NPG purification were discussed.

Modern trends in the processing of linear alpha olefins to technologically important products. Part 1

Linear alpha olefins (LAO) form a class of chemical compounds that are used in the production of highly marketable products, such as plasticizers, synthetic lubricants, surfactants and (co)polymers with the improved operating characteristics. Since the annual world consumption of LAO derivatives is growing, specialists from research institutes, universities and industrial laboratories become involved in LAO processing. The analysis of scientific literature published in recent ten years revealed the absence of general reviews devoted to LAO processing. This review considers modern trends in the processing of LAO, which contain four and more carbon atoms, to technologically important derivatives. General information on the main products obtained by LAO processing, methods of their production and application fields is reported. The existing technological processes used to obtain LAO derivatives as well as the catalysts employed in the processes are briefly described. The review presents modern trends in LAO processing and promising ways for enhancing the available technologies, particularly the development of new types of catalysts. Authors of the review make no pretence to a comprehensive or detailed presentation of the material; the main aim was to give a general idea of the main directions in LAO processing, the catalysts used in such processes, and the advanced approaches to their improvement.

Chemical Destabilization of Fresh and Spent Cutting Oil Emulsions: Differences between an Ecofriendly and Two Commercial Synthetic Lubricants

The aim of this study was to evaluate if eco-friendly lubricants had an additional advantage over conventional synthetic lubricants in terms of emulsion treatment of metalworking wastewater. To these purpose, two fresh commercial synthetic cutting oil emulsions were compared with an emulsion obtained from a new cutting oil produced from the reuse of slaughtering waste (CADT-605 from Kimya Srl, Bari, Italy). The breaking of the fresh emulsions was carried out with the addition of small amounts of sulfuric acid (2–20 mL/L) followed by pH neutralization by means of calcium hydroxide. During the two-step treatments, COD, BOD5 and non-ionic surfactant (NIS) concentrations were monitored in the aqueous phase. The results demonstrated that the best results were obtained with the emulsion produced with the bio-based lubricant. In addition, this cutting oil was tested in a metalworking plant within 30 days and the resulting spent emulsion was treated with the proposed process. In all the cases, the treatment led to a drastic decrease of the COD, BOD5 and NIS contents that allow the discharge of resulting aqueous phase in sewers or in surface water bodies, together with the other wastewater produced by the plant, in agreement with the Italian regulation.