Sodium methanolate - ipcs inchem

OECD SIDS
METHANOLATES
2 GENERAL INFORMATION ON EXPOSURE
2.1 Production Volumes and Use Pattern
2.1.1 Production
Both methanolates are produced in Europe in amounts greater than 1000 metric t/year. The USvolume
of sodium methanolate reported to US-EPA in 2002 by all US manufacturers and importers
was between 4500 and 23 000 metric tonnes on a dry weight basis (DuPont de Nemours, 2005).
Methanolates can be produced from reaction of sodium metal or sodium hydroxide with methanol
or by electrolysis using sodium or potassium salts that are reduced electrochemically and then
reacted with methanol. From those reactions solutions of the methanolates in methanol are obtained
that are either marketed or used as such or the alcohol is removed by distillation and the solid
products are obtained (Markolwitz and Ruwwe, 2003).
Sodium and potassium methanolate are produced in closed continuous reactors (Kemira, 2005;
DuPont de Nemours, 2005). The 22 to 30 weight percent solution for sodium methanolate (DuPont
de Nemours, 2005; Degussa, 2004), and the 25 to 32 % weight percent solution for potassium
methanolate (Kemira, 2005; Degussa, 2004) are continuously withdrawn from the reactor, either
into ISO-storage tanks or transport containers. Transport of the methanolate solutions is performed
by rail cars, tank trucks, or metal drums under an inert atmosphere (e.g. nitrogen) to avoid contact
with moisture (Kemira, 2005; DuPont de Nemours, 2005; Markolwitz and Ruwwe, 2003). Filling
operations are performed with special pumps and devices that exclude the contact with atmospheric
moisture and also prevent any environmental or human exposure with the products (Markolwitz and
Ruwwe, 2003). Solid sodium and potassium methanolate are marketed and transported in steel
drums and smaller amounts in double bags (BASF AG, 1997; Degussa, 1998a; Degussa, 2002).
2.1.2 Processing and use
Sodium and potassium methanolate are used mainly as intermediates for chemical synthesis in the
chemical industry and are involved in a variety of reactions, such as alkylation, arylation, acylation,
solvolysis of esters, condensation and elimination reactions, isomerization, rearrangements, transfer
hydrogenation, Wittig reactions and redox reactions (BASF AG, 2004). Those reactions are used in
many different areas, as the production of agrochemicals, photochemicals, silanes or silicones,
cosmetic raw materials, pharmaceuticals, colorants, food processing (e.g. as catalyst in the
esterification of edible oils for margarine production), optical brighteners, flavors and fragrances,
plastics and antioxidants (Degussa, 2004a; Markolwitz and Ruwwe, 2003).
Part of the production volume of the producers represented in the ICCA Methanolate consortium is
used as internal intermediate for the synthesis of other chemicals; another part is sold to industrial
customers. One major use of potassium methanolate is the synthesis of formic acid, in which
potassium methanolate catalyzes the reaction and gradually reacts with water to potassium formate.
(BASF AG, 2004; Kemira, 2005)
CO + CH 3 OH
KOCH 3
―――――――>
HCOOCH 3