Dicarboxylic diesters are disclosed having the formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein n is 3, and X is a C.sub.2 alkylene or a C.sub.2 alkenylene group. Such dicarboxylic diesters are useful for inhibiting the methane production in ruminants.

Dicarboxylic diesters are disclosed having the formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein n is 3, and X is a C.sub.2 alkylene or a C.sub.2 alkenylene group. Such dicarboxylic diesters are useful for inhibiting the methane production in ruminants.

The invention relates to a method and to a device for removing contaminants arising during the production of aliphatic or alicyclic nitric acid esters, in particular for removing contaminants from nitrated crude nitric acid esters, which nitrated crude nitric acid esters arise during the nitration of monovalent or multivalent aliphatic or alicyclic alcohols capable of nitration, after the separation of the final nitrating acid, and to a production system for nitrating monovalent or multivalent aliphatic alcohols capable of nitration with subsequent purification of the nitrated nitric acid esters.

The invention relates to a method and to a device for removing contaminants arising during the production of aliphatic or alicyclic nitric acid esters, in particular for removing contaminants from nitrated crude nitric acid esters, which nitrated crude nitric acid esters arise during the nitration of monovalent or multivalent aliphatic or alicyclic alcohols capable of nitration, after the separation of the final nitrating acid, and to a production system for nitrating monovalent or multivalent aliphatic alcohols capable of nitration with subsequent purification of the nitrated nitric acid esters.

The invention relates to a method and to a device for removing contaminants arising during the production of aliphatic or alicyclic nitric acid esters, in particular for removing contaminants from nitrated crude nitric acid esters, which nitrated crude nitric acid esters arise during the nitration of monovalent or multivalent aliphatic or alicyclic alcohols capable of nitration, after the separation of the final nitrating acid, and to a production system for nitrating monovalent or multivalent aliphatic alcohols capable of nitration with subsequent purification of the nitrated nitric acid esters.

A process for synthesizing isooctyl nitrate in a continuous flow reactor comprises flowing a H2SO4-HNO3 mixture within a flow reactor, flowing isooctyl alcohol into said flow reactor so as to mix the isooctyl alcohol with the H2SO4-HNO3 mixture and produce a reaction mixture stream flowing in said reactor, maintaining the reaction mixture stream flowing in said flow reactor at a reaction temperature within in the range 10 to 35 C. inclusive, and wherein the residence time of the reaction mixture stream in the flow reactor is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 40 seconds, and wherein the H2SO4 of the H2SO4-HNO3 mixture is H2SO4 having a concentration of in the range of 85 to 95% inclusive, more desirably 88 to 92% inclusive, most desirably of 90%.

A process for synthesizing isooctyl nitrate in a continuous flow reactor comprises flowing a H2SO4-HNO3 mixture within a flow reactor, flowing isooctyl alcohol into said flow reactor so as to mix the isooctyl alcohol with the H2SO4-HNO3 mixture and produce a reaction mixture stream flowing in said reactor, maintaining the reaction mixture stream flowing in said flow reactor at a reaction temperature within in the range 10 to 35 C. inclusive, and wherein the residence time of the reaction mixture stream in the flow reactor is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 40 seconds, and wherein the H2SO4 of the H2SO4-HNO3 mixture is H2SO4 having a concentration of in the range of 85 to 95% inclusive, more desirably 88 to 92% inclusive, most desirably of 90%.

A process for synthesizing isooctyl nitrate in a continuous flow reactor comprises flowing a H2SO4-HNO3 mixture within a flow reactor, flowing isooctyl alcohol into said flow reactor so as to mix the isooctyl alcohol with the H2SO4-HNO3 mixture and produce a reaction mixture stream flowing in said reactor, maintaining the reaction mixture stream flowing in said flow reactor at a reaction temperature within in the range 10 to 35 C. inclusive, and wherein the residence time of the reaction mixture stream in the flow reactor is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 40 seconds, and wherein the H2SO4 of the H2SO4-HNO3 mixture is H2SO4 having a concentration of in the range of 85 to 95% inclusive, more desirably 88 to 92% inclusive, most desirably of 90%.

A process for synthesizing isooctyl nitrate in a continuous flow reactor comprises flowing a H2SO4HNO3 mixture within a flow reactor, flowing isooctyl alcohol into said flow reactor so as to mix the isooctyl alcohol with the H2SO4HNO3 mixture and produce a reaction mixture stream flowing in said reactor, maintaining the reaction mixture stream flowing in said flow reactor at a reaction temperature within in the range 10 to 35 C. inclusive, and wherein the residence time of the reaction mixture stream in the flow reactor is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 40 seconds, and wherein the H2SO4 of the H2SO4HNO3 mixture is H2SO4 having a concentration of in the range of 85 to 95% inclusive, more desirably 88 to 92% inclusive, most desirably of 90%.

A process for synthesizing isooctyl nitrate in a continuous flow reactor comprises flowing a H2SO4HNO3 mixture within a flow reactor, flowing isooctyl alcohol into said flow reactor so as to mix the isooctyl alcohol with the H2SO4HNO3 mixture and produce a reaction mixture stream flowing in said reactor, maintaining the reaction mixture stream flowing in said flow reactor at a reaction temperature within in the range 10 to 35 C. inclusive, and wherein the residence time of the reaction mixture stream in the flow reactor is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 40 seconds, and wherein the H2SO4 of the H2SO4HNO3 mixture is H2SO4 having a concentration of in the range of 85 to 95% inclusive, more desirably 88 to 92% inclusive, most desirably of 90%.