Benzoic acid oxidation

The three chemical reactions in the toluene—benzoic acid process are oxidation of toluene to form benzoic acid, oxidation of benzoic acid to form phenyl benzoate, and hydrolysis of phenyl benzoate to form phenol. A typical process consists of two continuous steps (13,14). In the first step, the oxidation of toluene to benzoic acid is achieved with air and cobalt salt catalyst at a temperature between 121 and 177°C. The reactor is operated at 206 kPa gauge (2.1 kg/cm g uge) and the catalyst concentration is between 0.1 and 0.3%. The reactor effluent is distilled and the purified benzoic acid is collected. The overall yield of this process is beheved to be about 68 mol % of toluene. 

Phenol, 13 747-756, 757. See also Phenols alkylation, 2 196—197 analytical methods for, 18 753—754 antimicrobial used in cosmetics, 7 831t from benzene, 3 620 from benzoic acid oxidation, 3 631 binary azeotrope with benzaldehyde, 3 591t... 

Part of the residue is dissolved in a little water, the solution being treated with a drop of 2-5% ferric chlonde solution and a drop of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution diluted with nine volumes of water and heated on the water-bath a violet coloration indicates benzoic acid (oxidation to salicylic acid). 

Additionally to phenolic intermediates, upon the aromatic ring opening, a series of carboxylic acids can be formed. Maleic acid, for instance, has been detected in the oxidation of byphenyls (Bouquet-Somrani et al., 1996), 1,2,4-THB (Li et al., 1991a), 1,2-dimethoxybenzene (Pichat, 1997), and acid orange 7 (Stylidi et al., 2003). Similarly, muconic acid has been reported as an intermediate of byphenyls oxidation (Bouquet-Sormani et al., 1996), while succinic and malonic acids were identified in polycarboxylic benzoic acid oxidation (Assabane et al., 2000). It is therefore expected that these or similar acids be formed during phenol oxidation. 

Most dicarboxylic acids are prepared by adaptation of methods used to prepare monocarboxylic acids. Where hydrolysis of a nitrile yields a monocarboxylic acid, hydrolysis of a dinitrile or a cyanocarboxylic acid yields a dicarboxylic acid where oxidation of a methylbenzene yields a benzoic acid, oxidation of a di-methylbenzene yields a phthalic acid. For example ... 

Figure 5.2 Reactor scheme for toluene to reactor, A2 adsorption unit, C3 crude phe-phenol oxidation, fil toiuene oxidation reac- noi coiumn, C4 benzene column, C5 pure tor, A1 adsorption unit. Cl toluene column, phenol column, and 1 tar extraction unit. C2 benzoic acid, R2 benzoic acid oxidation (Reactor diagram reproduced from [3a].)...

KMn04 Synthesis of chemicals (saccharin, benzoic acid) Oxidizing agent... 

I Toluene oxidation reactor 2 Waste-gas purification 3 Toluene stripping column 4 Benzoic acid column 5 Benzoic acid oxidation reactor 6 Water-HC stripping column 7 Waste-gas purification 8 Crude phenol column 9 Phenol column 10 Residue extraction ... 

Bell SG, Xu F, Forward I, Bartlam M, Rao Z, Wong L-L (2008) Crystal structure of CYP199A2, a para-substituted benzoic acid oxidizing cytochrome P450 from Rhodopseudomonas palustris. J Mol Biol 383 561-574... 

It is readily oxidized by air to benzoic acid. With aqueous KOH gives benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid. Gives addition products with hydrogen cyanide and sodium hydrogen sulphite. 

It was first described in 1608 when it was sublimed out of gum benzoin. It also occurs in many other natural resins. Benzoic acid is manufactured by the air oxidation of toluene in the liquid phase at 150°C and 4-6 atm. in the presence of a cobalt catalyst by the partial decarboxylation of phthalic anhydride in either the liquid or vapour phase in the presence of water by the hydrolysis of benzotrichloride (from the chlorination of toluene) in the presence of zinc chloride at 100°C. 

Prepared by the dehydration of benzamide. Hydrolysed by dilute acids and alkalis to benzoic acid. Good solvent. benzopheDone,C]3HioO,PhC(0)Ph. Colourless rhombic prisms, m.p. 49 C, b.p. 306°C. Characteristic smell. It is prepared by the action of benzoyl chloride upon benzene in the presence of aluminium chloride (Friedel-Crafts reaction) or by the oxidation of di-phenylmethane. It is much used in perfumery. Forms a kelyl with sodium. 

Cannizzaro reaction Two molecules of many aldehydes, under the influence of dilute alkalis, will interact, so that one is reduced to the corresponding alcohol, while the other is oxidized to the acid. Benzaldehyde gives benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid. Compare the aldol condensation. 

CgHgO, PhCH = CHCOiH. Colourless crystals. Decarboxylales on prolonged heating. Oxidized by nitric acid to benzoic acid. Ordinary cinnamic acid is the trans-isomer, m.p. 135-136 C on irradiation with u.v. light it can be isomerized to the less stable cis-isomer, m.p. 42" C. 

Obtained synthetically by one of the following processes fusion of sodium ben-zenesulphonate with NaOH to give sodium phenate hydrolysis of chlorobenzene by dilute NaOH at 400 C and 300atm. to give sodium phenate (Dow process) catalytic vapour-phase reaction of steam and chlorobenzene at 500°C (Raschig process) direct oxidation of cumene (isopropylbenzene) to the hydroperoxide, followed by acid cleavage lo propanone and phenol catalytic liquid-phase oxidation of toluene to benzoic acid and then phenol. Where the phenate is formed, phenol is liberated by acidification. 

Prepare a mixture of 30 ml, of aniline, 8 g. of o-chloro-benzoic acid, 8 g. of anhydrous potassium carbonate and 0 4 g. of copper oxide in a 500 ml. round-bottomed flask fitted with an air-condenser, and then boil the mixture under reflux for 1 5 hours the mixture tends to foam during the earlier part of the heating owing to the evolution of carbon dioxide, and hence the large flask is used. When the heating has been completed, fit the flask with a steam-distillation head, and stcam-distil the crude product until all the excess of aniline has been removed. The residual solution now contains the potassium. V-phenylanthrani-late add ca. 2 g. of animal charcoal to this solution, boil for about 5 minutes, and filter hot. Add dilute hydrochloric acid (1 1 by volume) to the filtrate until no further precipitation occurs, and then cool in ice-water with stirring. Filter otT the. V-phcnylanthranilic acid at the pump, wash with water, drain and dry. Yield, 9-9 5 g. I he acid may be recrystallised from aqueous ethanol, or methylated spirit, with addition of charcoal if necessary, and is obtained as colourless crystals, m.p. 185-186°. 

I. Oxidation to benzoic acid. Boil a mixture of i ml. of benzyl chloride, 50 ml. of saturated aqueous KMn04 solution and 2 g. of anhydrous Na.jCOj under reflux for 30 minutes. Acidify with cone. HCl and then add 25% Na SOj solution until the brown precipitate of MnOj has dissolved. On cooling, benzoic acid crystallises out. Filter through a small Buchner funnel, wash with water and identify (P 347) When recrystallised from water, benzoic acid has m.p. 121 . 

Oxidation, (a) Oxidise 1 g. of styrene with KMn04 and NajCOj (for details see oxidation of benzyl chloride, p. 391). Benzoic acid, m.p. 121 is obtained. Stilbene similarly gives benzoic acid, but requires longer heating—about 1 hour. 

Oxidation of a side chain by alkaline permanganate. Aromatic hydrocarbons containing side chains may be oxidised to the corresponding acids the results are generally satisfactory for compounds with one side chain e.g., toluene or ethylbenzene -> benzoic acid nitrotoluene -> nitrobenzoic acid) or with two side chains e.g., o-xylene -> phthalic acid). 

Benzaldehyde is easily oxidised by atmospheric oxygon giving, ultimately, benzoic acid. This auto-oxidation is considerably influenced by catalysts tiiose are considered to react with the unstable peroxide complexes which are the initial products of the oxidation. Catalysts which inhibit or retard auto-oxidation are termed anti-oxidants, and those that accelerate auto-oxidation are called pro-oxidants. Anti-oxidants find important applications in preserving many organic compounds, e.g., acrolein. For benzaldehyde, hydroquinone or catechol (considerably loss than U-1 per cent, is sufficient) are excellent anti-oxidants. 

Alkyl groups attached to aromatic rings are oxidized more readily than the ring in alkaline media. Complete oxidation to benzoic acids usually occurs with nonspecific oxidants such as KMnO, but activated tertiary carbon atoms can be oxidized to the corresponding alcohols (R. Stewart, 1965 D. Arndt, 1975). With mercury(ll) acetate, allyiic and benzylic oxidations are aJso possible. It is most widely used in the mild dehydrogenation of tertiary amines to give, enamines or heteroarenes (M. Shamma, 1970 H. Arzoumanian. 1971 A. Friedrich, 1975). 

Benzoic acid and naphthoic acid are formed by the oxidative carbonylation by use of Pd(OAc)2 in AcOH. t-Bu02H and allyl chloride are used as reoxidants. Addition of phenanthroline gives a favorable effect[360], Furan and thiophene are also carbonylated selectively at the 2-position[361,362]. fndole-3-carboxylic acid is prepared by the carboxylation of 1-acetylindole using Pd(OAc)2 and peroxodisulfate (Na2S208)[362aj. Benzoic acid derivatives are obtained by the reaction of benzene derivatives with sodium palladium mal-onate in refluxing AcOH[363]. 

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