Aniline

Aniline has been a basic raw material for the plastics and organic chemical industries for many years. Approximately 80 percent of the world's Aniline production is used in the manufacturing of polyurethanes. Other uses of Aniline include rubber chemicals, dyes and pigments, agrochemicals, and specialty fibers. Aniline is produced by the nitration of benzene with nitric acid to mononitrobenzene (MNB) which is subsequently hydrogenated to Aniline.

KBR is the exclusive licensor of DuPont MNB/Aniline technologies. The process has been licensed to two companies in the last seven years. Additionally, KBR has extensive experience in engineering, procurement and construction of Aniline facilities.

DuPont has over 60 years history of MNB/Aniline production experience. In the 1940s, DuPont pioneered the concept of adiabatic nitration of benzene to MNB. In the 1950s, DuPont developed a proprietary catalyst for the liquid phase hydrogenation of MNB to Aniline. The first DuPont Aniline plant began operation in the early 1960s at Gibbstown, NJ and a second plant was started up in Beaumont, TX in the early 1970s. The MNB/Aniline technology has been continuously improved, especially in the areas of process yields, energy consumption, waste minimization, product quality and higher operating efficiency. Furthermore, process improvements have resulted in a reduced capital cost. DuPont currently produces Aniline for the merchant market with a total production capacity of 160,000 MTA at a plant located in Beaumont, Texas.