Formaldehyde → Phosphoric Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

189 grams of paraformaldehyde (6 moles) were dissolved in the heat in 450 grams of methanol under the addition of 1 gram of sodium hydroxide. After addition of 390 grams of a hot guanidine phosphate solution, which had been previously produced from 180 grams of guanidine carbonate (1 mole) and 254 grams of 85% phosphoric acid (2.2 moles), the mixture was boiled at reflux for about one hour until a clear solution was obtained. Then there were added a further 250 grams of methanol as well as a further 434 grams of the above mentioned guanidine phosphate solution after which the mixture was heated at reflux for a further 41/2 hours. The solution formed contained 51.1% solids, 42.2% methanol and 6.7% water.

Provenance & Evidence