Patent · US Expired

Production of ortho-phthalic acid and its conversion and recovery of phthalic anhydride

US4215053A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
4References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 29, 1979
Grant dateJul 29, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 29, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC07C51/56
  • WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Phthalic anhydride of commercially acceptable quality can be produced continuously in yields of from about 80 up to about 83 mole percent (% of theoretical) through a combination of steps starting with the neat oxidation of liquid o-xylene with air in the presence of catalysis provided by cobalt, manganese and bromine. Said oxidation is conducted in two steps wherein the first step is conducted under mild conditions and short residence time to provide a liquid effluent containing 8 to 40 weight percent o-phthalic acid and 6 to 30 weight percent o-xylene and the second step oxidizes such liquid effluent composition under more vigorous conditions including higher reaction temperature and longer residence time until substantially all the o-xylene and precursors of o-phthalic acid have been converted to o-phthalic acid. Thereafter, the second liquid oxidation effluent is subjected to simultaneous rapid dehydration and phthalic anhydride evaporation followed by contact of the resulting mixture of vapors with a reflux liquid in a fractionation system to remove water as part of the top fraction and provide a liquid partially purified anhydride as a separate bottom fraction, heating said l…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.