Liquid phase oxidation ofp-xylene to terephthalic acid at medium-high temperatures: multiple benefits of CO2-expanded liquids

* Corresponding authors

a Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
E-mail:bsubramaniam@ku.edu
Fax: 785-864-6051
Tel: 785-864-2903

b Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
E-mail:busch@ku.edu
Fax: 785-864-6051
Tel: 785-864-1644

c Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

Abstract

TheCo/Mn/Br catalyzedoxidation ofp-xylene toterephthalic acid (TPA) is demonstrated in CO2-expandedsolvents at temperatures lower than those of the traditional Mid-Century (MC) process. As compared with the traditional air (N2/O2)oxidation system, the reaction with CO2/O2 mixture at 160 °C and using an additional inert gas (N2 or CO2) pressure of 100 bar increases both the yield of TPA and the purity of solid TPAvia a more efficient conversion of the intermediates,4-carboxybenzaldehyde andp-toluic acid. At the same time, the amount of yellow colored by-products in the solid TPA product is also lessened, as determined by spectroscopic analysis. Equally important, thedecomposition orburning of thesolvent,acetic acid, monitored in terms of the yield of the gaseous products,CO and CO2, is reduced byca. 20% based on labeled CO2 experiments. These findings broaden the versatility of this new class of reaction media in homogeneouscatalyticoxidations by maximizing the utilization of feedstockcarbon for desired products while simultaneously reducingcarbon emissions.

Graphical abstract: Liquid phase oxidation of p-xylene to terephthalic acid at medium-high temperatures: multiple benefits of CO2-expanded liquids

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Sep 2009
Accepted
18 Nov 2009
First published
15 Jan 2010

Green Chem., 2010,12, 260-267

Liquid phaseoxidation ofp-xylene toterephthalic acid at medium-high temperatures: multiple benefits of CO2-expanded liquids

X. Zuo, F. Niu, K. Snavely, B. Subramaniam and D. H. Busch,Green Chem., 2010, 12, 260DOI: 10.1039/B920262E

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