Alternative process for converting white phosphorus promises more sustainability in the chemical industry
Date:
April 25, 2022
Source:
Technische Universita"t Dresden
Summary:
Chemists have developed a new, more sustainable process for
synthesizing numerous important everyday chemicals from white
phosphorus. The new process has the potential to establish
innovative, more resource- efficient processes in the chemical
industry.
FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The chemical element phosphorus (P) is one of the essential building
blocks of all biological life and, based on it, a function-giving
component of many products: in medicines, food products or fertilizers. In nature, phosphorus occurs exclusively in bound form as phosphate in the
earth's crust. However, continental deposits are finite and are estimated
to last for only a few more decades.
==========================================================================
For industrial use, phosphates are converted into the so-called
white phosphorus by laborious chemical processes. Alongside red,
black and violet phosphorus, white phosphorus is the most important modification of the element in industrial terms and, to date, is still an irreplaceable starting point for the production of many pharmaceuticals,
flame retardants, battery electrolytes, herbicides and other phosphorus
fine chemicals.
For the production of phosphorus-containing everyday chemicals, the
white phosphorus is mostly converted by chlorination with chlorine gas
to phosphorus trichloride (PCl3); a corrosive and toxic liquid, which
is of central importance for the chemical industry as a large-scale
industrial intermediate.
However, the production and use of PCl3, which has so far been without alternative, is highly problematic.
The chemist Prof. Jan J. Weigand of the TU Dresden and his team
have now succeeded in specifically converting white phosphorus (P4)
into an alternative and much less problematic phosphorus intermediate
reagent. In this process, the use of chlorine gas can be completely
omitted. Instead, the process chemicals needed to convert the white
phosphorus are recyclable.
"Economic factors still stand in the way of industrial application of
the process, however a rethink is currently taking place here due to
necessary, more sustainable aspects in the chemical industry. The more resource-conserving and efficient use of finite raw materials and the development of sustainable processes in many areas of chemistry are of
the utmost importance. This work is a decisive breakthrough in phosphorus chemistry and of great importance for the further development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly processes," affirms Dr. Kai Schwedtmann, one of the two first authors of the publication.
Prof. Weigand and his group are currently developing further concepts
with the aim of completely eliminating the need to use white phosphorus
or PCl3 for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, battery electrolytes, herbicides and other phosphorus fine chemicals: "In order
to meet the greatest challenges of our time, a rethink must also take
place in the chemical industry. We want to make a small contribution
to this with our research by developing a "blueprint" for a more modern
and more sustainable phosphorus chemistry."
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Technische_Universita"t_Dresden. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Maximilian Donath, Kai Schwedtmann, Tobias Schneider, Felix
Hennersdorf,
Antonio Bauza', Antonio Frontera, Jan J. Weigand. Direct
conversion of white phosphorus to versatile phosphorus transfer
reagents via oxidative onioation. Nature Chemistry, 2022; DOI:
10.1038/s41557-022-00913-4 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220425104843.htm
--- up 8 weeks, 10 hours, 51 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)