Atofina-PCUK cycle

The Atofina-PCUK cycle is an industrial process for the manufacture of hydrazine. Ammonia and hydrogen peroxide are the starting points of the cycle. Acetone is consumed and regenerated in the reaction. The cycle begins with ammonia reacting with the acetone, forming water and the acetone imine. Next, hydrogen peroxide oxidizes this imine to give a three-membered NH-O-C ring with the two methyl groups connected to the carbon. A second ammonia reacts with release of water to form a hydrazine derivative (CH3)2CNNH2. The NH2 group reacts with a second molecule of acetone, with loss of another molecule of water, to form (CH3)2CNNC(CH3)2. Water reacts with this diimine to form hydrazine and regenerates the acetone. The only waste product is water.