Parametric study on the reduction of m-chloronitrobenzene by using H2S-rich MEA

Abstract

In the present study, metachloronitrobenzene was reduced to a value added chemical metachloroaniline, which is used as a intermediate for pharmaceuticals, agriculture chemicals...etc. the reactions carried out in an organic solvent, toluene using Liquid-Liquid-Solid mode with phase transfer catalyst, Amberlite IR 400. The conversion as well as reaction rate of m-CNB were studied by the effect of different parameters such as speed of agitation, reaction temperature, catalyst loading, concentration of reactant, sulfide concentration and concentration of MEA. The reactions were carried out in a fully baffled mechanically well agitated glass reactor of capacity 250ml for 8 hrs. operation. The selectivity of m-CA was found out to be 100% at all time. The overall rate of reaction was found to be proportional to the catalyst loading and concentration of reactant, and square of the sulfide concentration. The reactions were found to be kinetically controlled with apparent activation energy of 56.16 KJ/mol. The generalized mechanism of the reaction was studied.