Patent ID: 9670124
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: C07C

Claim:
1. A method of synthesizing a mixture of organic acids, the method comprising the steps of: (a) combining, over time, in one or more closed reaction vessels, under a positive pressure of oxygen and with continuous stirring mixing an organic compound and an aqueous solution of nitric acid to form a reaction mixture, wherein the organic compound and the aqueous solution of nitric acid are introduced into the one or more closed reaction vessels; (b) flowing said reaction mixture through the one or more closed reaction vessels while (i) maintaining a controlled temperature of from about 25° C. to about 55° C. in a liquid phase portion of the reaction vessel, (ii) maintaining a reaction vessel headspace temperature of from about 20° C. to about −15° C.; and (iii) a controlled positive pressure of oxygen of from about 0 barg to about 1000 barg for a time period suitable to oxidize the organic compound to a subsequent reaction mixture comprising a mixture of organic acid products and nitrogen oxides; and (c) removing most of nitric acid from the subsequent reaction mixture to give a final reaction mixture of organic acids, wherein the one or more closed reaction vessels comprises one or more reactors, wherein the one or more reactors comprise a continuously stirred tank reactor or a tubular type plug flow reactor, and wherein the organic compound is selected from the group consisting of monohydric alcohols, diols, polyols, aldehydes, ketones, carbohydrates, hydroxyacids and combinations thereof.