PROCESS FOR PURIFYING TRIOCTYL PHOSPHATE AND USE THEREFOR

Process for purifying trioctyl phosphate containing emulsifier impurities comprising alkali metal salts of dioctyl phosphoric cold and monooctyl phosphonic cold by contacting the trioctyl phosphate with a mineral cold to neutralize the emulsifier impurities and to provide a two-phase system having an organic phase and an aqueous phase wherein the pH value of the aqueous phase is below 3.0, separating the organic phase from the aqueous phase, dehydrating the organic phase, and removing neutralized impurities by absorption on an absorbent material leaving a substantially pure trioctyl phosphate having an interfacial tension of about 18 to about 24 dynes/cm. The purified trioctyl phosphate has exceptional utility as a solvent in the anthraquinone process for producing hydrogen peroxide.