Oxidation products acetic acid

In a series of papers Hall and co-workers have studied the oxidation of olefins over Pd and Pd-Au alloys, supported Ir," and unsupported Ag." The oxidation of ethylene over Pd and Pd-Au alloys produced the partial oxidation products acetic acid and acetic anhydride together with traces of ethylene oxide. Experiments with a reaction mixture containing [14-C]-acetaldehyde, in addition to ethylene and O2, showed that most of the radioactivity appeared in the acetic acid rather than the CO2. This was evi-... 

Commercial production of acetic acid has been revolutionized in the decade 1978—1988. Butane—naphtha Hquid-phase catalytic oxidation has declined precipitously as methanol [67-56-1] or methyl acetate [79-20-9] carbonylation has become the technology of choice in the world market. By-product acetic acid recovery in other hydrocarbon oxidations, eg, in xylene oxidation to terephthaUc acid and propylene conversion to acryflc acid, has also grown. Production from synthesis gas is increasing and the development of alternative raw materials is under serious consideration following widespread dislocations in the cost of raw material (see Chemurgy). 

About half of the wodd production comes from methanol carbonylation and about one-third from acetaldehyde oxidation. Another tenth of the wodd capacity can be attributed to butane—naphtha Hquid-phase oxidation. Appreciable quantities of acetic acid are recovered from reactions involving peracetic acid. Precise statistics on acetic acid production are compHcated by recycling of acid from cellulose acetate and poly(vinyl alcohol) production. Acetic acid that is by-product from peracetic acid [79-21-0] is normally designated as virgin acid, yet acid from hydrolysis of cellulose acetate or poly(vinyl acetate) is designated recycle acid. Indeterrninate quantities of acetic acid are coproduced with acetic anhydride from coal-based carbon monoxide and unknown amounts are bartered or exchanged between corporations as a device to lessen transport costs. 

By-product acetic acid is obtained chiefly from partial hydrolysis of cellulose acetate [9004-35-7]. Lesser amounts are obtained through the reaction of acetic anhydride and cellulose. Acetylation of saHcyHc acid [69-72-7] produces one mole of acetic acid per mole of product and the oxidation of allyl alcohol using peracetic acid to yield glycerol furnishes by-product acid, but the net yield is low. 

The carboxyl group of acids appears to deactivate the hydrogens on the alpha carbon atom toward attack by the free-radical flux in oxidation reactions. Acetic acid, therefore, is particularly inert toward further oxidation (hydrogens are both primary and deactivated) (48). For this reason, it is feasible to produce acetic acid by the oxidation of butane (in the Hquid phase), even under rather severe oxidation conditions under which most other products are further oxidized to a significant extent (22). 

Chevron Chemical Co. began commercial production of isophthahc acid in 1956. The sulfur-based oxidation of / -xylene in aqueous ammonia at about 320°C and 7,000—14,000 kPa produced the amide. This amide was then hydrolyzed with sulfuric acid to produce isophthahc acid at about 98% purity. Arco Chemical Co. began production in 1970 using air oxidation in acetic acid catalyzed by a cobalt salt and promoted by acetaldehyde at 100—150°C and 1400—2800 kPa (14—28 atm). The cmde isophthahc acid was dissolved and recrystallized to yield a product exceeding 99% purity. The Arco technology was not competitive and the plant was shut down in 1974. 

Although this process has not been commercialized, Daicel operated a 12,000-t/yr propylene oxide plant based on a peracetic acid [79-21-0] process during the 1970s. The Daicel process involved metal ion-catalyzed air oxidation of acetaldehyde in ethyl acetate solvent resulting in a 30% peracetic acid solution in ethyl acetate. Epoxidation of propylene followed by purification gives propylene oxide and acetic acid as products (197). As of this writing (ca 1995), this process is not in operation. 

Acetaldehyde is a colorless liquid with a pungent odor. It is a reactive compound with no direct use except for the synthesis of other compounds. For example, it is oxidized to acetic acid and acetic anhydride. It is a reactant in the production of 2-ethylhexanol for the synthesis of plasticizers and also in the production of pentaerithritol, a polyhydric compound used in alkyd resins. 

The photo-Kolbe reaction is the decarboxylation of carboxylic acids at tow voltage under irradiation at semiconductor anodes (TiO ), that are partially doped with metals, e.g. platinum [343, 344]. On semiconductor powders the dominant product is a hydrocarbon by substitution of the carboxylate group for hydrogen (Eq. 41), whereas on an n-TiOj single crystal in the oxidation of acetic acid the formation of ethane besides methane could be observed [345, 346]. Dependent on the kind of semiconductor, the adsorbed metal, and the pH of the solution the extent of alkyl coupling versus reduction to the hydrocarbon can be controlled to some extent [346]. The intermediacy of alkyl radicals has been demonstrated by ESR-spectroscopy [347], that of the alkyl anion by deuterium incorporation [344]. With vicinal diacids the mono- or bisdecarboxylation can be controlled by the light flux [348]. Adipic acid yielded butane [349] with levulinic acid the products of decarboxylation, methyl ethyl-... 

Induced oxidation of alcohols by hydrogen peroxide was studied by Kolthoff and Medalia . According to their measurements the value of F-, increases with the increase in the concentration of ethanol, while it decreases with increase in the acid concentration (see Table 16). In acetic acid medium the value of F[ is considerably lower. Chloride ions effectively suppress the induced oxidation of alcohols. The main product of the oxidation of ethanol is acetaldehyde which can be further oxidized to acetic acid. The data on the induced oxidation of alcohol (H2A) can be interpreted by reactions (53), (98), (99) and (57). 

B. Pyridine-N-oxide. The acetic acid solution is evaporated on the steam bath under the pressure of a water aspirator, and the residue (180-190 g.) is distilled at a pressure of 1 mm. or less in an apparatus suitable for collecting a solid distillate (Note 5). The vacuum pump must be protected with a Dry Ice trap capable of holding about 60 ml. of acetic acid, which distils as the pyridine-N-oxide acetate dissociates at low pressure. Heat is provided by an oil bath, the temperature of which is not allowed to rise above 130° (Note 6). The product is collected at 100-105°/1 mm. (95-98°/0.5 mm.). The yield is 103-110 g. (78-83%) of colorless solid, m.p. 65-66° (sealed capillary). The base is deliquescent and must be stoppered immediately. 

The reaction network for isobutane selective oxidation catalyzed by POMs consists of parallel reactions for the formation of methacrolein, methacrylic acid, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. Consecutive reactions occur on methacrolein, which is transformed to acetic acid, methacrylic acid, and carbon oxides. ° Methacrylic acid undergoes consecutive reactions of combustion to carbon oxides and acetic acid, but only under conditions of high isobutane conversion. Isobutene is believed to be an intermediate of isobutane transformation to methacrylic acid, but it can be isolated as a reaction product only for very low alkane conversion. ... 

Catalytic hydrogenation transforms keto esters to hydroxy esters under very gentle conditions. In cyclic ketones products of different configuration may result. Ethyl 3,3-dimethylcyclohexanone-2-carboxylatC on hydrogenation over platinum oxide in acetic acid gave 96.3% yield of cis, and over Raney nickel in methanol gave 97% yield of trans ethyl 3,3-dimethyl-cyclohexanol-2-carboxylate, both at room temperature and atmospheric pressure [847]. 

When C4H80 is diluted by water to 80 volume %, the only product of C4H80 oxidation is acetic acid (99% per methyl ethyl ketone reacted) formed by ketone hydroperoxide conversion. The reason for this increase in the reaction selectivity is that the rate of decomposition of the radical complex R02. . . HOH is lower than that of free R02, while the decrease in the rate of reaction of R02. . . HOH with methyl ethyl ketone is somewhat offset by the higher dielectric constant of the medium. 

Mercuration of quinoline N-oxide in acetic acid or perchloric acid gives the 8-mercurio-chloride (26) as the main product and small amounts of the 3-, 5-, 6- and 7-isomers. In the absence of solvent mercury(II) sulfate gives all the possible isomers although the total yield is poor. 6-Methylquinoline N-oxide gives the 8-substituted derivative (27). The preferential 8-orientation is accounted for in terms of preliminary coordination of the mercury atom at the oxygen of the N-oxide. When the 8-position is blocked, as in 8-bromoquinoline N-oxide, mercuration is reported to occur at the 4-position (55YZ490, 69CPB906). 

Direct Oxidation. Direct oxidation of petroleum hydrocarbons has been practiced on a small scale since 1926 methanol, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde are produced. A much larger project (29) began operating in 1945. The main product of the latter operation is acetic acid, used for the manufacture of cellulose acetate rayon. The oxidation process consists of mixing air with a butane-propane mixture and passing the compressed mixture over a catalyst in a tubular reaction furnace. The product mixture includes acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acetone, propyl and butyl alcohols, methyl ethyl ketone, and propylene oxide and glycols. The acetaldehyde is oxidized to acetic acid in a separate plant. Thus the products of this operation are the same as those (or their derivatives) produced by olefin hydration and other aliphatic syntheses. 

Lactose is readily fermented by lactic acid bacteria, especially Lactococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp., to lactic acid, and by some species of yeast, e.g. Kluyveromyces spp., to ethanol (Figure 2.27). Lactic acid may be used as a food acidulant, as a component in the manufacture of plastics, or converted to ammonium lactate as a source of nitrogen for animal nutrition. It can be converted to propionic acid, which has many food applications, by Propionibacterium spp. Potable ethanol is being produced commercially from lactose in whey or UF permeate. The ethanol may also be used for industrial purposes or as a fuel but is probably not cost-competitive with ethanol produced by fermentation of sucrose or chemically. The ethanol may also be oxidized to acetic acid. The mother liquor remaining from the production of lactic acid or ethanol may be subjected to anaerobic digestion with the production of methane (CH4) for use as a fuel several such plants are in commercial use. 

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