Process for the manufacture of peroxycarboxylic acids

In a process for the manufacture of a peroxycarboxylic acid in crystalline form by the oxidation in an aqueous phase of a long chain carboxylic acid with hydrogen peroxide, the improvement which comprises:

• conducting the reaction in the presence of a strong acid selected from the group consisting of oleum, sulfuric acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid and toluenesulfonic acid;
• the amount of said strong acid being in the range of from about 1.3 to about 5 moles for each mole of said carboxylic acid present in the reaction mixture, and intimately dispersing throughout said aqueous phase a sufficient quantity of an inert, water-immiscible solvent for the peroxycarboxylic acid to selectively remove from said aqueous phase the peroxycarboxylic acid as it is formed said solvent having been mixed with the carboxylic acid and the strong acid prior to the addition of the hydrogen peroxide;
• separating by decantation the aqueous phase from the water-immiscible solvent;
• and crystallizing from said solvent the peroxycarboxylic acid.

In a process for the manufacture of a diperoxycarboxylic acid in crystalline form by the oxidation in an aqueous phase of a long chain dicarboxylic acid with hydrogen peroxide, the improvement which comprises:

• conducting the reaction in the presence of a strong acid selected from the group consisting of oleum, sulfuric acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid and toluenesulfonic acid;
• the amount of said strong acid being in the range of from about 1.3 to about 5 moles for each mole of said carboxylic acid present in the reaction mixture, and intimately dispersing throughout said aqueous phase a sufficient quantity of an inert, water-immiscible solvent for the diperoxycarboxylic acid to selectively remove from said aqueous phase the peroxycarboxylic acid as it is formed said solvent having been mixed with the carboxylic acid and the strong acid prior to the addition of the hydrogen peroxide;
• separating by decantation the aqueous phase from the water-immiscible solvent;
• and crystallizing from said solvent the diperoxycarboxylic acid.

In a process for the manufacture of a peroxycarboxylic acid in crystalline form by the oxidation in an aqueous phase of a carboxylic acid with hydrogen peroxide, the improvement which comprises:

• conducting the reaction in the presence of a strong acid selected from the group consisting of oleum, sulfuric acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid and toluenesulfonic acid;
• the amount of said strong acid being in the range of from about 1.3 to about 5 moles for each mole of said carboxylic acid, and intimately dispersing throughout said aqueous phase a sufficient quantity of an inert, water-immiscible solvent for the peroxycarboxylic acid to selectively remove from said aqueous phase the peroxycarboxylic acid as it is formed said solvent having been mixed with the carboxylic acid and the strong acid prior to the addition of the hydrogen peroxide;
• adding water to the reaction mixture at the conclusion of the reaction;
• distilling off the water-immiscible solvent at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the peroxycarboxylic acid and separating the peroxycarboxylic acid crystals from the residual aqueous phase.

In a process for the manufacture of a peroxycarboxylic acid in crystalline form by the oxidation in an aqueous phase of a long chain carboxylic acid with hydrogen peroxide, the improvement which comprises:

• conducting the reaction in the presence of a strong acid selected from the group consisting of oleum, sulfuric acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid and toluenesulfonic acid;
• the amount of said strong acid being in the range of from about 1.3 to about 5 moles for each mole of said carboxylic acid present in the reaction mixture, and intimately dispersing throughout said aqueous phase a sufficient quantity of an inert, water-immiscible solvent for the peroxycarboxylic acid to selectively remove from said aqueous phase the peroxycarboxylic acid as it is formed said solvent having been mixed with the carboxylic acid and the strong acid prior to the addition of the hydrogen peroxide;
• adding water to the reaction mixture at the conclusion of the reaction;
• distilling off the water-immiscible solvent at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the peroxycarboxylic acid and separating the peroxycarboxylic acid crystals from the residual aqueous phase.

In a process for the manufacture of a diperoxycarboxylic acid in crystalline form by the oxidation in an aqueous phase of a long chain dicarboxylic acid with hydrogen peroxide, the improvement which comprises:

• conducting the reaction in the presence of a strong acid selected from the group consisting of oleum, sulfuric acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid and toluenesulfonic acid;
• the amount of said strong acid being in the range of from about 1.3 to about 5 moles for each mole of said dicarboxylic acid present in the reaction mixture, and intimately dispersing throughout said aqueous phase a sufficient quantity of an inert, water-immiscible solvent for the diperoxycarboxylic acid to selectively remove from said aqueous phase the diperoxycarboxylic acid as it is formed said solvent having been mixed with the carboxylic acid and the strong acid prior to the addition of the hydrogen peroxide;
• adding water to the reaction mixture at the conclusion of the reaction;
• distilling off the water-immiscible solvent at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the diperoxycarboxylic acid and separating the diperoxycarboxylic acid crystals from the residual aqueous phase.