Methods of producing para-xylene and terephthalic acid

A method for producing one or more compounds of formula I:

• wherein each R1 and R2 is independently hydrogen or alkyl, the method comprising combining:
• one or more compounds of formula A:
• or one or more compounds of formula B:
• or any combination of one or more compounds of formula A and one or more compounds of formula B, wherein R1 and R2 in formulae A and B are as defined in formula I above,
• with
• (i) ethylene, and
• (ii) Rx1CF2SO3H, wherein Rx1 is alkyl or haloalkyl,
• to produce one or more compounds of formula I from at least a portion of the one or more compounds of formula A, the one or more compounds of formula B, or any combinations thereof, and at least a portion of the ethylene.

A method for producing one or more compounds of formula I:

• wherein each R1 and R2 is independently hydrogen or alkyl, the method comprising combining:
• one or more compounds of formula A:
• or one or more compounds of formula B:
• or any combination of one or more compounds of formula A and one or more compounds of formula B, wherein R1 and R2 in formulae A and B are as defined in formula I above,
• with:
• (i) ethylene, and
• (ii) a sulfonamide or a sulfonamide salt, wherein:
• the sulfonamide has a structure of formula (Ry1SO2)NH2 or (Ry1SO2)NH(Rz);
• and
• the sulfonamide salt has a structure of formula Qr+[(Ry1SO2)N(Rz)]r or Qr+[(Ry1SO2)NH]r;
• wherein each Ry1, Ry2 and Rz is independently alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl,
• wherein each alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl is optionally substituted with 1 to 8 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, nitro, —OR′, —C(O)OR′, —C(O)NR′R″—CHO, —COR′, and cyano,
• wherein each R′ and R″ is independently hydrogen, alkyl, or haloalkyl,
• Q (if present) is a cation;
• and
• r (if present) is the charge of the cation,
• to produce one or more compounds of formula I from at least a portion of the one or more compounds of formula A, the one or more compounds of formula B, or any combinations thereof, and at least a portion of the ethylene.