Process for producing aliphatic carboxylic acids and aliphatic carboxylic acid esters of phenols

A process for producing an aliphatic carboxylic acid and an aliphatic carboxylic acid ester of an aromatic hydroxy compound which comprises reacting

• (A) an aromatic hydroxy compound selected from the group consisting of phenol, cresol, xylenol, trimethylphenol, tetramethylphenol, pentamethylphenol, ethylphenol, propylphenol, thymol, 2-methyl-5-isopropylphenol, butylphenol, amylphenol, octylphenol, methyldibutylphenol, diethylphenol, catechol, resorcinol, hydroquinone, dihydroxytoluene, hexylresorcinol, pyrogallol, phloroglucinol, chlorophenol, bromophenol, nitrophenol, nitrosophenol, aminophenol, N,N-dimethylaminophenol, N-methyl-N-acetyl-phenol, acetyloxyphenol, formylphenol, cyanophenol, phenolsulfonic acid, hydroxymethylphenol, naphthol, dihydroxynaphthalene, dihydronaphthol, tetrahydronaphthol, phenylphenol, hydroxyquinolin, anthrahydroquinone, methylanthrahydroquinone, ethylanthrahydroquinone, amylanthrahydroquinone, and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone,
• (b) (1) an aliphatic carboxylic acid ester formed between an aliphatic carboxylic acid having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and selected from the group consisting of methyl formate, propyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, methyl propionate, ethyl propionate, methyl butyrate, propyl butyrate, methyl valerate, dimethyl oxalate, diethyl oxalate, and dimethyl succinate or (2) an aliphatic ether of 2 to 8 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, methyl ethyl ether, dipropyl ether, and dibutyl ether, and
• (C) carbon monoxide at a temperature of from 50.degree.-300.degree. C. and a reaction pressure of 0-1000 kg./cm.sup.2 G in the presence of a catalyst composed of at least one metal of Group VIII of the periodic table and a promotor composed of at least one iodine-containing substance selected from the group consisting of iodine and iodine compounds and separating and recoving the thus produced aliphatic carboxylic acid from the reaction mixture.