Process for making benzoic acids
AssigneeAlbemarle Corporation
InventorsTse-Chong Wu, R. Carl Herndon, Jr.
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Abstract
A process of producing benzoic acids from phthalimides is described. The ability to dramatically reduce the reaction time in comparison to currently practiced processes by the addition of readily available compounds is demonstrated.
Claims30
A process for making a benzoic acid which comprises heating a reaction mixture comprised of (1) a phthalimide, (2) a mineral acid, (3) water, and (4) an aprotic, dipolar, water-soluble catalytic agent in which (1) is soluble, and wherein at least a portion of (1) is in solution in said reaction mixture, such that a benzoic acid is produced at a rate greater than the rate at which said benzoic acid would be produced under the same conditions, but in the absence of said catalytic agent.
A process for making a benzoic acid which comprises heating a reaction mixture comprised of (1) a phthalimide, (2) an acid (3) water, and (4) a rate accelerating amount of an aprotic, dipolar, water soluble, catalytic agent in which (1) is soluble, at a temperature and for a time such that a benzoic acid is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.