Home – Home – Jornals – Chemistry for Sustainable Development 2017 number 2

Chemical transformations of petroleum extracts of peat wax occurring in the process of mechanochemical treatment (cavitation) of the most typical types of high-moor peat for the territory of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District - Yugra were studied. It was demonstrated that hydrolysis of ester bonds in the composition of wax molecules proceeded in alkaline media resulting from mechanochemical treatment of peat raw materials. Alcohol groups of waxes formed as result of hydrolysis are subjected to oxidation to aldehyde groups followed by condensation. Peat waxes are capable of entering into reactions with ammonia molecules, which is confirmed by elemental analysis results during the processes listed. It was suggested that free-radical states, as well as hydrogen peroxide formed due to mechanochemical treatment of aqueous alkaline media were a source of an oxidizing agent. Additionally, based on elemental analysis data and IR spectra obtained, a hypothesis was put forward of mainly the aldol condensation mechanism for processes initiated by mechanochemical treatment. A preliminary conclusion was made of the fact that only a part of peat waxes participates in the stated processes, which allows using this type of raw materials more rationally, simultaneously obtaining humic acids and bitumenols from it. It was demonstrated that qualitative characteristics of peat wax isolated from oxidative aminolysis products met requirements for technical conditions imposed on raw peat wax.