found this - similar if not exactly like No.1 ---anywho here goes
Nitroethane H.Krause Swiss.75,523 Aug l, 1917
A mixture of ethyl sulfate and a nitrite is heated with the addition of an agent promoting the formation of nitroethane. e.g. EtNaSO4 + H2O and 100 g. NaNO2 are mixed in a finely powdered state, and this mixt. is thoroughly moistened with a solution of about 7 g. anhydrous soda in about 30 g. H2O. The mixt. is liquefied by heating, and then storngly heated with stirring. At about 115-120 (degrees) nitroethane distils with the H2O with the silmultaneous production of EtNO2 and acetaldehyde. These latter escape, partly the gaseous form, in case the app. is not strongly cooled. After the salt mixt. is dry the heating is continued until oil no longer goes over. In order to expel the last traces of nitroethane, the of the salt mass is allowed to rise to about 200 (degrees). The distillate seps. into an oily and an aq. layer, the former consisting chiefly of nitroethane which, however, because of its content of specifically lighter compds., such acetadehyde and EtNO2 , usually floats upon the H2O........etc.
Abstrated in CA 12, p41, (1918)
the swiss patent is available on Espace in German -(I think its German)
translation por favor....