Method for producing aprotic solutions that contain zinc bromide and lithium bromide
The invention relates to a method for producing aprotic solutions that contain zinc bromide and lithium bromide, the reaction of the reactants to the product being carried out as a one-pot reaction.
1. A method for producing an aprotic solution containing zinc bromide and lithium bromide, the method comprising:
dispersing starting materials in an aprotic solvent, wherein the starting materials comprise (i) zinc oxide or zinc carbonate, and (ii) lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide;
reacting the starting materials dispersed in the aprotic solvent with hydrobromic acid to form a reaction mixture; and
removing water from the reaction mixture to form a product solution
with a residual water content <2500 ppm; and
separating the product solution from unreacted starting materials.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the aprotic solvent is an ether.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aprotic solvent is an aliphatic ether having a general formula of R 1 —O—R 2 , where R 1 and R 2 are each an alkyl moiety with 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the aprotic solvent is dibutyl ether.
5. The method according to claims 1 wherein the reaction is carried out in a temperature range from −20° C. to 100° C.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the reaction is carried out in a temperature range from 0° C. to 40° C.
7. A method for producing an aprotic solution containing zinc bromide and lithium bromide, the method comprising:
mixing aqueous solutions of zinc bromide and lithium bromide in a stoichiometric ratio, and
adding an aprotic solvent thereto in volume sufficient to remove water which is present to form the aprotic solution with a residual water content <2500 ppm.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the aprotic solvent is an ether.
9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the aprotic solvent is an aliphatic ether having a general formula of R 1 —O—R 2 , where R 1 and R 2 are each an alkyl moiety with 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the aprotic solvent is dibutyl ether.
11. The method according to claims 7 wherein the reaction is carried out in a temperature range from −20° C. to 100° C.
12. The method according to claim 7 wherein the reaction is carried out in a temperature range from 0° C. to 40° C.
13. A method for producing an aprotic solution containing zinc bromide and lithium bromide, the method comprising
dispersing starting materials in an aprotic solvent, wherein the starting materials comprise a mixture of metallic zinc and metallic lithium;
reacting the starting materials dispersed in the aprotic solvent with hydrogen bromide or elemental bromine to form a product solution; and
separating the product solution from unreacted starting materials.
14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the metallic zinc and metallic lithium are in a form of powder, coarse pieces, or both powder and coarse pieces.
15. The method according to claim 13 wherein the aprotic solvent is an ether.
16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the aprotic solvent is an aliphatic ether having a general formula of R 1 —O—R 2 , where R 1 and R 2 are each an alkyl moiety with 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
17. The method according to claim 13 wherein the aprotic solvent is dibutyl ether.
18. The method according to claim 13 wherein the reaction is carried out in a temperature range from −20° C. to 100° C.
19. The method according to claim 13 wherein the reaction is carried out in a temperature range from 0° C. to 40° C.