COAL PRODUCTS

Evening Star, Issue 20089, 1 February 1929, Page 5

COAL PRODUCTS

PITTSBURGH CHEMIST’S IMPORTANT DISCOVERY Two new chemical processes which will enable (ho live industry In unlock huge stores of raw material contained in coke and coal tar have been developed by Dr A. O. Jncgar, a Pittsburgh chemist. The process, it is said, by (lie American Chemical Society, will produce a cheaper base tor important dyestuffs, which is expected to have a “ profound influence “ upon Hie industry. The research involved what is described as one of the most baffling problems in (lie coal tar distillation industry. Both processes embrace the purification of anthracene, which is oxidised in order to procure antbraqninonc, which, in turn, is a. basic material in the manufacture of most vat dyes. De-pile (lie immense production of coke and coal tar in (lie United States, all elfurts lo use these as domestic sources of anthracene bad failed of economic (success, the Chemical Society declares. Tins, it is added, lias been a serious handicap in domestic dye manufacture, especially in the making of alizarin, from which Turkey red, orange, violet, and other Colours are produced. Dr Jaeger, who is file technical di rectal of the Sol clou Company, of Pittsburgh, accomplished the two processes by what is technically known as catalysis', or Dio speeding up of a chemical reaction by the introduction of an extra chemical which itself appears to remain unchanged. One of the processes involves the use of furfural, a new chemical developed from cornstalks, sawdust, ami agricultural wastes. Dr Jaeger found that crude anthracene is soluble in furfural. ITc uses furfural hot, and, upon cooling, anthracene 85 per cent. pure crystallises out at ttic first crystallisation, This is sufficiently pure to permit aiv oxidation to procure, authraquincmc. Tho second piocess directly oxidises the impurities in the antlirace.no. This method is said to be of particular economic importance because it permits oxidation of anthracene to obtain anthmquinonc in tho same, apparatus. Tito American Chemical Society, in its announcement, emphasises that important progress in the development of new processes will result, from further experiments with cataiyclic reactions. They hold also that the development, of new uses for furfural, for which the Nation’s annual crops are an almost inexhaustible source, may form the basis of a" blanch of the American chemical industry, comparable in importance to tile coal tar industry in Germany.