Methane → Glyphosate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a 300 ml. autoclave as described above 100 ml. deionized water, 1 gram of Norit A activated carbon, and 4 grams N-phosphonomethyliminodiacetic acid are charged. There is also added a 0.15 gram amount of the 3.30% Pt/H--MOR catalyst of Example 1. The contents are heated to 90° C. with oxygen flowing at atmospheric pressure. The contents are heated to about 95° C. with agitation for approximately two hours, with yields of N-phosphonomethylglycine in excess of 95% expected to be obtainable. Because of the effectiveness of the noble metal catalyst in oxidizing the formaldehyde, the moles of CO2 generated may be expected to approach 1.9 or so for each mole of reactant, with the amount of formaldehyde remaining being less than 10% of theoretical and in concentrations possibly around 0.1% or lower by weight. Thus the tendency of formaldehyde to react with the N-phosphonomethylglycine product will be markedly diminished.

Provenance & Evidence