Patent ID: 7067693
Filing Date: 2006-06-27
Classification: B01J,C07F,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for the preparation of a product comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine or a salt thereof by oxidizing a reagent comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid or a salt thereof, the process comprising: continuously contacting an aqueous feed stream comprising said reagent with an oxygen source in a stirred tank reactor of a continuous reactor system and in the presence of a particulate catalyst comprising a particulate carbon support having a noble metal at a surface of the carbon support and effective for oxidizing said reagent to said product and formaldehyde to carbon dioxide and water, thereby producing a product mixture comprising said product and containing at least about 5% by weight of said product and less than about 0.5% by weight of formaldehyde, said catalyst being resistant to dissolution of noble metal in the product mixture so that, at a conversion of said reagent to said product of 95%, the extent of dissolution of noble metal in the aqueous reaction mixture is no greater than about 5.3 μg/g N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine produced in the reaction; separating the particulate catalyst from the product mixture by filtration, thereby producing a product filtrate comprising said product; and isolating said product from the product filtrate.