Determination and correlation solubility of m-phenylenediamine in (methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile and water) and their binary solvents from 278.15 K to 313.15 K

In this study, the solubility of m-phenylenediamine in four pure solvents(methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile and water) and three binary solvent(methanol + water),(ethanol + water) and(acetonitrile + water) systems were determined in the temperature ranging from 278.15 K to 313.15 K by using the gravimetric method under atmospheric pressure. In the temperature range of 278.15 K to 313.15 K, the mole fraction solubility values of m-phenylenediamine in water, methanol, ethanol, and acetonitrile are 0.0093–0.1533, 0.1668–0.5589,0.1072–0.5356, and 0.1717–0.6438, respectively. At constant temperature and solvent composition, the mole fraction solubility of o-phenylenediamine in four pure solvents was increased as the following order:water b ethanol b methanol b acetonitrile;and in the three binary solvent mixtures could be ranked as follows:(ethanol + water) b(methanol + water) b(acetonitrile + water). The relationship between the experimental temperature and the solubility of m-phenylenediamine was revealed as follows: the solubility of mphenylenediamine in pure and binary solvents could be increased with the increase of temperature. The experimental values were correlated with the Jouyban–Acree model, van’t Hoff–Jouyban–Acree model, modified Apelblat–Jouyban–Acree model, Sun model and Ma model. The standard dissolution enthalpy, standard dissolution entropy and the Gibbs energy were calculated based on the experimental solubility data. In the binary solvent mixtures, the dissolution of m-phenylenediamine could be an endothermic process. The solubility data,correlation equations and thermodynamic property obtained from this study would be invoked as basic data and models regarding the purification and crystallization process of m-phenylenediamine.

A Novel Catalyst for Liquid Phase Hydrogenation of m-Dinitrobenzene to m-Phenylenediamine

A novel lanthana-promoted nickel catalyst supported on silica for the liquid phase hydrogenation of m-dinitrobenzene to m-phenylenediamine was prepared by an incipient wetness sequential impregnation method. It was found that Ni-La/SiO2 catalyst exhibited high activity and stability for m-dinitrobenzene hydrogenation. Over this catalyst, the conversion of m-dinitrobenzene and the yield of m-phenylenediamine were up to 97.1% and 93.5%, respectively, at 373 K and 2.6 MPa hydrogen pressure after reaction for 1 h.

Effects of preparation methods of support on the properties of nickel catalyst for hydrogenation of m-dinitrobenzene

Using tetraethyl orthosilicate(TEOS)as the pre-cursor of silica,the silica aerogel and xerogel,which were used as supports of nickel-based catalysts for liquid hydroge-nation of m-dinitrobenzene to m-phenylenediamine,were prepared by the sol-gel method combined with supercritical drying(SCD)and conventional drying,respectively.Then,a series of nickel-based catalyst samples supported on these supports were prepared by the incipient wetness impregna-tion method with an aqueous solution of nickel nitrate as well as lanthanum nitrate as impregnation liquids.Based on the characterization results of nitrogen adsorption-desorption(BET),X-ray diffraction(XRD),temperature programmed reduction(TPR),temperature-programmed desorption of hydrogen(H2-TPD),and catalytic activity evaluation,the physico-chemical properties and catalytic performances of the catalysts were investigated.The results show that the nickel crystallites on the binary nickel catalyst using silica aerogel as support are of smaller particle size.However,com-pared with the sample supported on silica xerogel,the nickel catalyst supported on the silica aerogel exhibits lower activity and selectivity for the hydrogenation of m-dinitrobenzene because it has a lesser amount of active sites and weaker absorption ability to reactants caused by sintering of the nickel crystallites.The addition of promoter La2O3 could increase the activity and selectivity of the catalysts.Among all the nickel-based catalyst samples prepared,the La2O3 promoted ternary nickel-based catalyst supported on silica xerogel exhibits the highest activity and selectivity for the hydrogenation of m-dinitrobenzene to m-phenylenediamine,which could be attributed to its highest active surface area and appropriate absorption strength to reactants.Over this prom-ising catalyst,the conversion of m-dinitrobenzene and the yield of m-phenylenediamine could reach 97.0%and 93.1%,respectively,under proper reaction conditions of hydrogen pressure 2.6 MPa,temperature 373 K,and reaction time 1 h.