I G Petrochemicals Ltd

Phthalic Anhydride

Phthalic Anhydride

PAN is a principal commercial form of phthalic acid, discovered in 1836. It was the first anhydride of a dicarboxylic acid to be used commercially and is comparable in its importance to acetic acid. The most important reaction of PAN is with alcohols or diols to give esters or polyesters.

PAN is a versatile intermediate in organic chemistry. PAN is a precursor to a variety of reagents useful in organic synthesis. A colourless solid, is an important industrial chemical, especially for the large-scale production of plasticizers for plastics.

PAN is widely used in industry for the production of certain dyes. A well-known application of this reactivity is the preparation of the anthroquinone dye quinizarin. The primary use of PAN is as a chemical intermediate in the production of plastics from vinyl chloride.

Phthalate esters, which function as plasticizers, are derived from PAN. PAN has another major use in the production of polyester resins and other minor uses in the production of alkyd resins used in paints and lacquers, certain dyes, insect repellents and urethane polyester polyols. It has also been used as a rubber scorch inhibitor and retarder (HSDB, 1995; National Cancer Institute (NCI), 1979). PAN is a chemical intermediate that reacts readily and produces a broad range of products that process easily and give a wide range of performance characteristics at a low cost.

IGPL operates its plant based on the processes of the licensor M/s Wacker Chemie GmbH, Germany. The process is Wacker’s Von-Heyden’s Low Energy Process and the plant has been engineered by M/s Lurgi GmbH, Germany. Existing capacity of Phthalic Anydride is  at 2,22,100 MTPA.

Product Specifications