US 7,803,968 B2 · Method for making carboxylic acids

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing carboxylic acids. It relates more particularly to a process for producing carboxylic acids by oxidation of a hydrocarbon with oxygen or a gas containing oxygen, and even more particularly to the oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid. The invention relates to a process for producing carboxylic acids by oxidation with oxygen or a gas containing oxygen of a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an oxidation catalyst and of a monocarboxylic oxidation solvent that is lipophilic in nature, comprising a step of extraction of the dicarboxylic acids formed in the oxidation step, consisting in carrying out, in liquid phase, an extraction of the diacids using water.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A process for producing dicarboxylic acids comprising:

a) an oxidation step compromising producing a dicarboxylic acid by oxidizing a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon starting material with oxygen or a gas containing oxygen in a reaction medium comprising an oxidation catalyst and a lipophilic oxidation solvent, and
b) an extraction step comprising extracting the dicarboxylic acid formed in the oxidation step from said reaction medium in a countercurrent-flow liquid liquid extraction column using a first extraction solvent in which at least the oxidation solvent and the cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon starting material are insoluble and a second extraction solvent which is the cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon starting material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for making carboxylic acids

Life of this patent

Method for making carboxylic acids

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16