We will be celebrating 150 years in business in...

Welcome to
Robinson Brothers

Founded in 1869, Robinson Brothers is one of the UK's largest independent manufacturers of speciality organic chemicals, offering a wide range of custom manufactured intermediates on a commercial scale

Chemical Intermediates

Robac Technology

Chemistry
Competences

Amination

Robinson Brothers routinely conducts reductive amination reactions to produce a wide range of speciality amine products and intermediates. Reaction of an aliphatic or aromatic aldehyde, typically benzaldehyde’s, with a wide variety of alkyl amines to form an intermediate imine, which is subsequently reduced by catalytic hydrogenation to yield the amine with the product being distilled to required product specifications. The reductive amination process offers a number of advantages...

Amidation

Our capabilities include the ability to handle in semi-bulk quantities anhydrous Ammonia and anhydrous alkylamines e.g Methylamine. These reactants can be fed to reactors equipped with evaporator equipment allowing these reactants to be used in the gaseous phase, thus providing for various amidation chemistries, to yield amides and lower alkyl amides from e.g. carboxylic acids, acid chlorides and malonates.

Carbon Disulfide

Robinson Brothers has been involved in Carbon disulfide chemistry since producing accelerators for the rubber market in the 1930's. Today, Carbon disulfide is used as a versatile reagent for the manufacture of thiazoles, xanthates, thiocarbamates and thiuram disulfides for use in such diverse applications as pharmaceutical, veterinary, photographic, effluent treatment and rubber chemical. Carbon disulfide chemistries are carried out in our 4,500 litre dedicated vessel, operating on a...

Chlorosulfonation

We have the ability to handle Chlorosulfonic acid on-site and are equipped with a variety of reactor capacities to support manufacturing projects. Robinson Brothers can conduct chlorosulfonation reactions at an intermediate scale – manufacturing kilograms to tonne quantities at their UK manufacturing site. All processes undergo rigorous safety testing and reaction hazard screening evaluations. Robinson Brothers has a dedicated in-house Process Safety and Health & Safety team who...

Dehydrogenation

Robinson Brothers offers many years of experience with dehydrogenation reactions. Our experience in catalytic hydrogenations has aided us in catalyst optimisation for dehydrogenation reactions. We have established intellectual know-how for dehydrogenation over a precious metal catalyst. Robinson Brothers’ UK manufacturing site includes 9,000L glass lined reactors with a double turbine agitator, specifically designed to degas. The dehydrogenation reactor has a glove box mounted onto...

Esterification

Robinson Brothers has a long history in the manufacture of Mercaptocarboxylic acid derivatives, particularly the esters of 2-Mercaptoacetic acid (Thioglycolic acid) and 3-Mercaptopropionic acid. Esters derived from a wide range of alcohols can be manufactured at Robinson Brothers, as we have particular know-how and expertise in esters from the low molecular weight, short chain length alcohols (including Methanol) to derive the more difficult methylesters in good quality and yield. Equipped...

Heterocyclic Chemistry

Heterocyclic compounds represent the largest and most varied class of organic compounds. For the heterocycles of the most common elements of Oxygen, Nitrogen and Sulfur, the possible permutations for any given ring structure are incredibly numerous. They are important in many biological systems and processes, as such it is not surprising that they find wide application in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, aroma, food and beverage industries. Having a long tradition in the chemistries of...

Hydrogenation

Robinson Brothers offers extensive know-how and expertise in the commercial scale operation catalytic hydrogenation processes. Our dedicated hydrogenation facilities include an extensive array of specially designed pressure autoclave reactors ranging from R&D to commercial scale, and incorporate the latest computer controlled operating systems. Manufacturing capabilities include: Production scale hydrogenation autoclave reactors from 900L to 2,250L fabricated in glass-lined,...

Methylation

Having ability to use the toxic reagent Methyliodide in safe to handle cylinders allows us offer access to methylation chemistry. Robinson Brothers has the experience in forming typical O-methylations and N-methylations, but also more particularly, S-methylation reactions where Methyliodide offers some regioselectivity. We also perform N-methylation reactions using the Leuckart and Eschweiler-Clarke reactions. Robinson Brothers has bespoke containment facilities to handle a wide range...

Oxidation

The use of oxidation chemistry at Robinson Brothers has a long history, and continues to be a key stregth in our compences. Our inherent ability to handle Sulfur containing species and highly hazardous reagents safely and in compliance with regulation has lent itself to further downstream chemistries such as oxidation. The following oxidation systems are currently used at Robinson Brothers: Peroxide H2O2 Hypochlorite NaOCl Hypobromite NaOBr Selective metal catalysed Sulfur...

Thiolation

Robinson Brothers are uniquely equipped for the manufacture and application of organosulfur chemicals. From early beginnings in the manufacture of Mercaptocarboxylic acids e.g. Thioglycolic acid and gas odorising materials e.g. Tetrahydrothiophene by way of Hydrogen sulfide chemistries; our knowledge base has expanded over many years to include numerous examples of thiolations for the preparation of alkyl and aryl mercaptans and thiols (R-SH). We are able to use and apply a wide variety...