A New Synthetic Process of Phthalimide

The phthalimide has been synthesized from phthalic anhydride and urea in ortho-xylene solvent medium. In the process, ortho-xylene which plays a role as solvent can be used repeatedly. The optimum condition of the proposed method involves:interaction at 144 ℃,for 90 minutes and in the mole ratio phthalic anhydride∶urea∶ortho-xylene=1.0∶0.6∶3.0, the highest yield of phthalimide has achieved 99 %.