Chemical Processing of Fluid Propellant Heptyl: Synthesis and Properties of the Surface Active Substances Obtained from Heptyl

Abstract

Nuclear disarmament of Ukraine frees certain amounts of fluid propellant (asymmetric N,N-dimethyl hydrazine, Acronym UDMH). This substance is highly toxic and inflammable (i.e. inflames when in contact with rust). One can not speak about the disarmament if he has not solved the problem of heptyl utilisation, because incompetent storage and handling of heptyl may cause the ecological disaster even worse than radioactive contamination. The world has no experience of heptyl utilisation.

We think that the best way to handle heptyl is to use it as a reagent in organic synthesis. The report contains the brief analysis of the chemistry of heptyl on the basis of which the reaction of heptyl with methylesters of fatty acids and oxiranes has been chosen for further investigation. The kinetics of this reaction have been investigated and the optimal conditions for the obtaining of ammoniumimides have been found. The obtained ammoniumimides of higher fatty acids that have long hydrocarbon chains (C₅H₁₁....... C₁₇H₃₅, C₁₇H₃₃) have the properties of the surface active compounds.

The adsorption of the ammoniumimides on the surface between phases, the formation of micelles in the bulk of solution and the dependence of colloidal surface active substances can be obtained by the interaction of heptyl with the oils themselves. Surface active substances of such kind are not toxic (LD₅₀≫2000 mg/kg).

The technology for obtaining such substances can be simple, wasteless, ecologically safe. It can be easily implemented.