Patent ID: 7476761
Filing Date: 2009-01-13
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for producing a carboxylic acid having a carbon number of “n+1” which comprises allowing an alcohol having a carbon number of “n” or a derivative thereof to continuously react with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a metal catalyst component, and an alkyl halide and/or hydrogen halide, and a limited amount of water, in a reaction system, continuously withdrawing the reaction mixture from the reaction system, introducing the withdrawn reaction mixture into a distillation step, and separating a higher-boiling component at least containing the metal catalyst component and a lower-boiling component containing a carboxylic acid having a carbon number of “n+1”, respectively, wherein the amount of carbon monoxide contained in a liquid phase of the reaction system relative to 1 kilogram of the liquid phase by weight is at least 2 mmol per 1 MPa of carbon monoxide partial pressure of the reaction system, and the carbon monoxide partial pressure of the reaction system is 0.9 to 3 MPa.