Process for preparing 2,2-dibromomalonamide

1. A process for converting a first biocidal formulation to a second biocidal formulation, the process comprising providing a first biocidal formulation comprising a first amount of 2,2-dibromo-3-cyanoacetamide and water, contacting together the first biocidal formulation and an effective amount of a nitrile-amide-conversion composition to form a reaction mixture comprising a second biocidal formulation, the second biocidal formulation comprising water and 2,2-dibromomalonamide, the contacting being performed in such a way so as to produce the second biocidal formulation, and wherein the process further comprises

a. obtaining a mother liquor from the reaction mixture;

b. preparing another nitrile-amide-conversion composition comprising most of the mother liquor;

c. contacting the other nitrile-amide-conversion comprising the mother liquor to another amount of 2,2-dibromo-3-cyanoacetamide to form another reaction mixture, the contacting the other nitrile-amide-conversion comprising the mother liquor to another amount of 2,2-dibromo-3-cyanoacetamide being performed in such a way so as to produce additional 2,2-dibromomalonamide.

2. The process as in claim 1 , the second biocidal formulation further comprising at least one other biocidal formulation ingredient.

3. The process as in claim 2 , the at least one other biocidal formulation ingredient comprising hydrogen peroxide, an unreacted portion of the amount of 2,2-dibromo-3-cyanoacetamide, or a combination thereof.

4. The process as in claim 2 , the process further comprising maintaining pH of the reaction mixture during the contacting step at less than pH 9.0.

5. The process as in claim 4 , the process further comprising maintaining pH of the reaction mixture during the contacting step at a pH from pH 4.0 to less than pH 9.0.

6. The process as in claim 5 , the process further comprising maintaining pH of the reaction mixture during the contacting step at a pH from pH 5.5 to pH 7.0.

7. The process as in claim 2 , each nitrile-amide-conversion composition comprising water, the process further comprising a step of purifying the 2,2-dibromomalonamide so as to obtain a water-wet solid 2,2-dibromomalonamide having a purity of 90 percent or greater, not counting the water.

8. The process as in claim 7 , the process further comprising a step of drying the water-wet solid 2,2-dibromomalonamide so as to obtain a dried solid 2,2-dibromomalonamide having an absolute purity of 95 percent or greater and containing less than 1 weight percent water.