A high-pressure bomb of about 1.1-l. capacity is charged with
82 g. (0.50 mole) of sebaconitrile and about
6 g. of Raney nickel catalyst (Note
1) suspended in
25 ml. of 95% ethanol, an additional
25 ml. of ethanol being used to rinse in the catalyst. The bomb is closed (Note
2), and about
68 g. (4 moles) of liquid ammonia is introduced from a
tared 5-lb. commercial cylinder (Note
3).
Hydrogen is then admitted at tank pressure (1500 lb.), and the temperature is raised to 125°. The reaction starts at about 90° and proceeds rapidly at 110–125°. When
hydrogen is no longer absorbed (1–2 hours) the heater is shut off and the bomb allowed to cool. The
hydrogen and
ammonia are allowed to escape, and the contents of the bomb are rinsed out with two
100-ml. portions of 95% ethanol. The ethanolic solution is filtered quickly through a layer of
decolorizing carbon (Note
4) to remove the catalyst and transferred to a
500-ml. Claisen flask having a modified side arm and connected by ground-glass joints to a receiver (Note
5). The
ethanol is removed by distillation at atmospheric pressure, the receiver is changed, and the
decamethylenediamine is distilled under reduced pressure. It boils at
143–146°/14 mm. (Note
6) and solidifies, on cooling, to a white solid, freezing point 60°. The yield is
68–69 g. (
79–80%) (Note
7), (Note
8), and (Note
9).