A process is described for preparing organic and inorganic hydroxides and alkoxides from the corresponding halides in an electrolytic cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode, a catholyte compartment containing a cathode, and an anion selective membrane or a nonionic divider separating said compartments, said process comprising the steps of (A) charging to the catholyte compartment, a mixture comprising an organic or inorganic halide salt and a liquid selected from water, organic liquids which do not react with hydroxide ions, or a mixture thereof; (B) charging to the anolyte compartment, a mixture comprising a reducing agent which is capable of reducing halogen or being oxidized at the anode and a liquid selected from water, organic liquids, or mixtures thereof, provided that sufficient water or alcohol is present in the catholyte mixture during electrolysis to form the desired hydroxide or alkoxide; (C) passing a current through the electrolytic cell to produce the hydroxide or alkoxide in the catholyte compartment; and (D) recovering the organic or inorganic hydroxide or alkoxide from the catholyte compartment. Quaternary and tertiary onium hydroxides and alkoxides produced by the process of the invention are characterized by improved purity, and production costs are lower than many other processes.

Method for preparing organic and inorganic hydroxides and alkoxides by electrolysis

Solvents for salt-gradient anion-exchange separation of nucleic acids, especially double-stranded DNA and especially by liquid chromatography, are improved by replacing NaCl as the eluting salt with any of a wide range of alkyl ammonium salts and can be used to elute nucleic acids in strict order of increasing length, with reduced sensitivity to elution temperature and salt concentration. Anion-exchange chromatography with these solvents is well suited for identification of DNA fragments on the basis of size, with greater accuracy, precision, and resolvable size range than often is possible with gel electrophoresis.

Precision and accuracy of anion-exchange separation of nucleic acids

An apparatus for electrolyzing fluids. The resulting electrolyzed fluids are particularly suited for treating physiological materials such as whole blood, plasma, or cell isolates in order to reduce the effect of harmful microorganisms. A container holds the fluid and a power supply provides a source of electrical current to an anode and a cathode positioned within the container. The system is particularly suited for disinfecting and/or sterilizing health care instruments. The instruments are bathed in the electrolyzed saline solution. If the instrument includes internal conduits the system of the present invention also preferably flows the electrolyzed saline solution through such conduits also to provide both cleaning and sterilization. The electrolyzed saline solution is recirculated from the electrodes to the instrument being sterilized. Embodiments of the invention are particularly suited to sterilizing dental drill handpieces without damage to the handpieces.

System for carrying out sterilization of equipment

A preferred electrochemical process for producing an alcohol or carboxylic acid from a corresponding metal salt while also recovering metal cation residues is described. The preferred process does not require a three-compartment desalination cell but rather can be performed in a standard two-compartment cell divided by a cation-permeable membrane. The process comprises the step of electrolyzing an aqueous medium containing the metal salt in the anolyte of the cell to thereby yield alcohol or carboxylic acid in the anolyte and pass the metal cation into the catholyte. In one particularly preferred mode, the process provides a highly effective recovery of valuable materials from byproduct streams of base-catalyzed syntheses of polyols such as such as trimethylolpropane or pentaerythritol from aldehydes, and in another provides an efficient recovery of phenol.

Electro-synthesis of alcohols and carboxylic acids from corresponding metal salts

A process for etching a silicon layer disposed on a substrate, including anisotropically etching a first trench in the silicon layer; selectively anisotropic wet etching silicon surfaces in the first trench, the wet etching comprising exposing the silicon surfaces to an aqueous composition including an aromatic tri(lower)alkyl quaternary onium hydroxide, and an unsymmetrical tetraalkyl quaternary phosphonium salt; in which the wet etching etches (110) and (100) planes of the silicon layer at about equal rates and preferentially to the (111) plane to form an enlarged trench having a sidewall in the (111) plane. A silicon alloy may be epitaxially deposited in the thus-produced trench as part of a process of introducing stress into at least a portion of the silicon layer.

Selective silicon etch process

A process is described for reducing the latent halide content of a solution of quaternary ammonium hydroxide containing latent halide which comprises the steps of (A) providing an electrolytic cell comprising an anode and a cathode, (B) charging a solution containing at least one quaternary ammonium hydroxide which contains latent halide into said electrolytic cell, (C) passing a current through the electrolytic cell to lower the latent halide content in the solution, and (D) recovering the quaternary ammonium hydroxide solution from the electrolytic cell. A process also is described for reducing the latent and ionic halide content of quaternary ammonium hydroxides prepared from the corresponding halide.

Method for purifying quaternary ammonium hydroxides

A process is described for preparing quaternary ammonium hydroxides of improved purity. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a process of preparing quaternary ammonium hydroxides from the corresponding quaternary ammonium salts in an electrolytic cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode and a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and water, said anolyte and catholyte compartments being separated from each other by a cation-exchange membrane, said process comprising the steps of (a) providing the catholyte compartment with a cathode of zinc, cadmium, tin, lead, or alloys thereof, mercury, or mercury amalgam, (b) charging an aqueous solution containing a quaternary ammonium salt to the anolyte compartment, (c) passing a current through the electrolytic cell to produce quaternary ammonium hydroxide in the catholyte compartment, and (d) recovering the quaternary ammonium hydroxide from the catholyte compartment.

Process for preparing quaternary ammonium hydroxides

A process is described for reducing the acid content of a solution comprising a hydroxylamine salt and an acid, and the process is also useful for converting a hydroxylamine salt to a hydroxylamine. In one embodiment, the process of the present invention comprises the steps of: (A) providing an electrolysis cell comprising an anolyte compartment containing an anode, a catholyte compartment containing an oxygen-consuming cathode, and an anionic membrane divider separating said compartments; (B) providing an aqueous solution comprising an acid and water in the anolyte compartment, and an aqueous solution comprising the hydroxylamine salt, water and optionally, an acid in the catholyte compartment; (C) charging an oxygen-containing gas to the catholyte compartment; (D) passing a direct current through the electrolysis cell for a period of time effective to reduce the acid content in the catholyte compartment and/or to convert the salt to a hydroxylamine; and (E) recovering a hydroxylamine or a hydroxylamine salt solution containing a reduced amount of acid from the catholyte compartment.

Process for reducing the acid content of hydroxylamine salt solutions and for preparing hydroxylamines from hydroxylamine salts

On a mis au point un procede de preparation d'ammoniaque quaternaire de purete amelioree. It has developed a quaternary ammonia preparation process of improved purity. Dans un mode de realisation, cette invention concerne un procede de preparation d'ammoniaque quaternaire a partir des sels d'ammonium quaternaire correspondants dans une cellule electrolytique, comprenant un compartiment d'analyte contenant une anode, et un compartiment de catholyte contenant une cathode et de l'eau. In one embodiment, this invention relates to a process for preparing quaternary ammonia from the corresponding quaternary ammonium salts in an electrolytic cell comprising an analyte chamber containing an anode, and a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and water. Lesdits compartiments d'anolyte et de catholyte sont separes l'un de l'autre par une membrane d'echange de cations. Said compartments anolyte and catholyte are separated from one another by a cation exchange membrane. Ledit procede consiste a: (a) prevoir le catholyte avec une cathode en zinc, cadmium, etain, plomb ou des alliages de ceux-ci, mercure ou amalgame de mercure, (b) charger une solution aqueuse contenant un sel d'ammonium quaternaire dans le compartiment d'analyte, (c) faire passer un courant dans la cellule d'electrolyse pour produire de l'ammoniaque quaternaire dans le compartiement de catholyte, et (d) recuperer l'ammoniaque quaternaire du compartiment de catholyte. Said method comprises: (a) providing the catholyte with a zinc cathode, cadmium, tin, lead or alloys thereof, mercury or mercury amalgam, (b) charging an aqueous solution containing a quaternary ammonium salt the analyte compartment (c) passing a current through the electrolysis cell to produce quaternary ammonia in compartiement catholyte and (d) recovering quaternary ammonia catholyte compartment.

Improved process for preparing quaternary ammonium hydroxides

A process is described for the electrolytic reductive coupling of quaternary ammonium compounds to themselves or to other reactive organic compounds, said quaternary compounds being characterized by the formula (I): [(R1)3N+-R2]aY-a, wherein each R1 is independently an alkyl group containing from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, a hydroxyalkyl or alkoxyalkyl group containing from 2 to about 10 carbon atoms, an aryl group, or two of the R1 groups together with the nitrogen atom form a heterocyclic group, provided that if the heterocyclic group contains a -C=N- group, the third R1 group is the second bond; R2 is a hydrocarbyl group containing olefinic unsaturation, or a hydrocarbyl group containing a substituent which is reactive or removable under the conditions of the process; Y- is an anion; and a is equal to the valence of Y; which process comprises (A) providing an electrolytic cell comprising an anode and a cathode; (B) charging into the electrolytic cell, a solution containing at least one of said quaternary ammonium compounds (I), and, optionally, at least one other organic compound capable of reacting with the quaternary ammonium compound (I) under the conditions of the reaction; (C) passing an electric current through the electrolytic cell to reductively couple the quaternary ammonium compound to itself or to the other organic compound; and (D) recovering the solution containing the coupled product from the electrolytic cell. The process is particularly useful for the preparation of diquaternary ammonium compounds.

Hossein Sharifian

Papers

Method for purifying quaternary ammonium hydroxides

Process for preparing quaternary ammonium hydroxides

Process for reducing the acid content of hydroxylamine salt solutions and for preparing hydroxylamines from hydroxylamine salts

Improved process for preparing quaternary ammonium hydroxides

Electrolytic reductive coupling of quaternary ammonium compounds