Process for the production of carboxylic acids
AssigneeLonza Ltd.
InventorsCarlo Fumagalli, Francesco Minisci, Roberto Pirola
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Abstract
Aliphatic carboxylic acids of formulae (Ib) R1—COOH(Ia) and R2—COOH wherein R1 is tertiary C4-20-alkyl and R2 is selected from hydrogen and C1-6-alkyl, or R1 and R2 together are —(CH2)n— with n=3 to 10, are produced by oxidizing an aliphatic or alicyclic ketone of formula (II), wherein R1 and R2 are as defined above, with molecular oxygen in the presence of a soluble manganese(II) compound. The process has a high selectivity and is carried out under very mild conditions. It is especially useful for the production of dicarboxylic acids such as adipic acid from cyclic ketones.
Claims10
Process for the production of aliphatic carboxylic acids of the general formulae
- R1—COOH (Ia)
- and
- R2—COOH (Ib)
- wherein R1 is tertiary C4-20-alkyl
- and R2 is selected from hydrogen and C1-6-alkyl,
- or R1 and R2 together are —CH2)n— with n=3 to 10,
- characterized in that a ketone of the general formula
- 2
- wherein R1 and R2 are as defined above,
- is oxidized with molecular oxygen in the presence of a soluble manganese(II) compound.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.