Deuterium enrichment by exchange of hydrogen and alkylamine - with alkali metal alkylamide catalyst, preventing metal amide pptn.

摘要

The process comprises an exchange reaction between a gas phase contg. hydrogen and liq. alkylamine which contains in soln. an alkali metal alkylamide as catalyst. The soln. contains NH3 which is formed, and which tends to form an alkali metal amide which will ppte. An improvement to the above known process comprises sepg. NH3 from at least a part of the liq. alkylamine, the treated soln. is returned to the reaction and the concn. of alkali metal amide is kept below its solubility limit in the amine phase. The pptd. alkali metal amide harms the catalyst and also clogs up the appts. The above method prevents the formation of a ppte.