Question

Raschig's process is employed for the commercial preparation of:

• A. ethyl chloride
• B. grignard's reagent
• C. hydroxylamine
• D. ethanol

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

hydroxylamine

Raschig's process is employed for the commercial preparation of hydroxylamine. The main step in this process, patented by Raschig in 1887, is the reduction of nitrite with bisulfite towards hydroxylamine disulfonate, which is hydrolysed to hydroxylammonium sulfate. The commercially used Raschig process consists of the following steps: ammonium carbonate solution is prepared by reacting ammonia, carbon dioxide and water. An alkaline solution of ammonium nitrite is formed by reacting ammonium carbonate solution with nitrogen oxides. Ammonium nitrite is converted to hydroxylamine disulfonate with sulfur dioxide. Hydroxylamine disulfonate is hydrolysed to hydroxylammonium sulfate.