Phthalic anhydride is the organic compound with the formula C6H4(CO)2O. It is the anhydride of phthalic acid. This colourless solid is an important industrial chemical, especially for the large-scale production of plasticizers for plastics. In 2000, the world wide production volume of phthalic anhydride is estimated to be about 3 232 000 tonnes per year.
Phthalic anhydride was first reported in 1836 by Auguste Laurent. It is presently obtained by catalytic oxidation of ortho-xylene and naphthalene (Gibbs phthalic anhydride process):
C6H4(CH3)2 + 3 O2 → C6H4(CO)2O + 3 H2O
C10H8 + 4.5 O2 → C6H4(CO)2O + 2 H2O + 2 CO2
When separating the phthalic anhydride from byproducts such as o-xylene in water, or maleic anhydride, a series of “switch condensers” is required. Phthalic anhydride can also be prepared from phthalic acid.
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