Patent ID: 9227902
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: B01J,C07C

Claim Text:
1. A method for producing carboxylic acids comprising: charging a reactor vessel with a liquid reaction media comprising: supplying carbon monoxide to the reaction vessel to convert the alcohol (ROH) and/or the alkyl actetate (AcOR) into a carboxylic acid (RCOOH) having one more carbon atom; removing the media or a portion thereof; separating the low boiling components including the carboxylic acid (RCOOH) to form a crude carboxylic acid product, recycling high boiling components back to the reactor vessel; separating low boiling components from the crude acid product to form a purified carboxylic acid product, and returning other low boiling components to the reactor vessel, where the catalyst converts the alcohol into a carboxylic acid having one more carbon atom, the solvating additive increases an ionic character of the hydrogen iodide bond of hydrogen iodide formed during carbonylation reducing the effective amount of added water to a concentration at or below 4 wt. % and improves catalyst stability and where the effective amount of water is sufficient to facilitate the release of carboxylic acid after carbonylation of the alcohol/alkyl acetate and to reduce anhydride formation, where the R group a linear alkyl group having between 1 and 6 carbon atoms, the R 3 and R 4 groups are carbyl group including from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, and where the R 3 and R 4 groups may be substituted with substituents including halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, nitro groups, or amino groups.