Process for manufacture of isobutylidene diurea

• US 4,062,890 A
• Filed: 05/23/1975
• Issued: 12/13/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Estech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Swift Agricultural Chemicals Corporation
• Inventors: Shank, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wyman, Daniel E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waltz, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US05/580,218
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 71/28, 260/553 R
• US Class Current: 564/61
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 3/00 Fertilisers containing other salts of ammonia or ammonia itself, e.g. gas liquor
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 9/00 Fertilisers containing urea or urea compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/90 for affecting the nitrification of ammonium compounds or urea in the soil
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 273/1863 from urea
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 275/06 of an acyclic and saturated carbon skeleton

Abstract

A process for manufacturing isobutylidene diurea (IBDU) comprising reacting urea with isobutyraldehyde in an aqueous medium and in the presence of a protein-derived emulsifier and an inorganic ammonium salt.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing isobutylidene diurea comprising reacting an aqueous solution of urea with isobutyraldehyde at a pH of from about 7.0-9.0 and in the presence of from about 1-10% by weight of a glue or gelatin protein emulsifier derived from collagen and in the presence of from about 0.5-10% by weight of a polyvalent inorganic ammonium salt reaction accelerator.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the aqueous urea solution has a urea concentration of from about 40% to about 80% by weight.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the urea and isobutyraldehyde are present in approximately stoichiometric amounts.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the emulsifier comprises a liquefied animal glue.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the ammonium salt is selected from the group consisting of ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate and mixtures thereof.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the reaction mixture is heated to in excess of about 40°

C to initiate reaction.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the aqueous reaction mixture is thoroughly agitated.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein the reaction product is dried to a moisture content of less than about 1%, and is then ground to a powder and compacted into a solid sheet.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the isobutylidene diurea sheet is granulated and classified through screens to obtain slow nitrogen release fertilizer granules having a particle size of from about 5-30 mesh.