Abstract:
A process for purifying cyclic organic compounds such as phenol, aniline and nitro benzene which are readily reducible by catalytic hydrogenation and stable under the conditions of the process, comprises mixing the organic compound with ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid or an alkali metal or ammonium salt thereof preferably the trisodium salt as conditioning agent preferably in an amount of 0.015-0.1% (calculated as the trisodium salt of the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), by weight of the cyclic organic compound, heating the mixture at a temperature of at least 80 DEG C. and preferably at least 150 DEG C. for at least one hour and distilling off the compound from the mixture. Where phenol or aniline is being purified they are mixed with caustic alkali as well as the conditioning agent which is employed in an amount about equal to the weight of the conditioning agent. Examples are given of the purification of phenol, aniline and nitrobenzene.