Validated methods for degrading hazardous chemicals: some halogenated compounds.

Two techniques were investigated for degrading a number of halogenated compounds of commercial and research importance. Reductive dehalogenation with nickel-aluminum alloy in potassium hydroxide solution was used to degrade iodomethane, chloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, 2-chloroethanol, 2-bromoethanol, 2-chloroethylamine, 2-bromoethylamine, 1-bromobutane, 1-iodobutane, 2-bromobutane, 2-iodobutane, 2-bromo-2-methylpropane, 2-iodo-2-methylpropane, 3-chloropyridine, fluorobenzene, chlorobenzene, bromobenzene, iodobenzene, 4-fluoroaniline, 2-chloroaniline, 3-chloroaniline, 4-chloroaniline, 4-fluoronitrobenzene, 2-chloronitrobenzene, 3-chloronitrobenzene, 4-chloronitrobenzene, benzyl chloride, benzyl bromide, alpha,alpha-dichlorotoluene, and 3-aminobenzotrifluoride. The products were generally those obtained by replacing the halogen with hydrogen although concomitant reduction of the other groups was also observed. Bibenzyl was produced during the reduction of benzyl chloride, benzyl bromide, and alpha,alpha-dichlorotoluene. Refluxing with ethanolic potassium hydroxide was used to degrade iodomethane, chloroacetic acid, 2-fluoroethanol, 2-chloroethanol, 2-bromoethanol, 1-chlorobutane, 1-bromobutane, 1-iodobutane, 2-bromobutane, 2-iodobutane, 2-bromo-2-methylpropane, 2-iodo-2-methylpropane, benzyl chloride, benzyl bromide, 1-bromononane, 1-chlorodecane, and 1-bromodecane. The products were the corresponding ethyl ethers. 2-Methylaziridine was cleaved with nickel-aluminum alloy in potassium hydroxide solution to a mixture of isopropylamine and n-propylamine. In all cases, the compounds were completely degraded and only nonmutagenic reaction mixtures were produced.