Process for the preparation of trimellitic acid

Abstract: A novel, very selective process for the catalytic air oxidation of pseudocumene to trimellitic acid is described. Manganese, cobalt, cerium and titanium in the presence of bromine are use according to the invention as the catalyst.

Description: The invention relates to a novel process for the catalytic oxidation of pseudocumene to trimellitic acid. Trimellitic acid is employed in the plastics industry as an intermediate for synthetic resins, plasticisers etc. Frequently, the trimellitic acid is reacted directly via a dehydration step to give trimellitic anhydride which, in turn, is widely used as an intermediate in the plastic industry, in particular in polyesters. Numerous catalytic oxidation processes are known in order to react pseudocumene to give trimellitic acid. Thus, it already follows from US-PS 2 833 816 to oxidise polyalkylaromatic compounds, such as trimethylbenzenes, in the presence of cobalt, manganese, cerium and bromine to give the corresponding polycarboxylic acids. However, it was only possible to achieve a yield of 52,5 mol% for the reaction of pseudocumene to give trimellitic acid. According to US-PS 3 683 016, it was possible to increase this yield by adding a cobalt/manganese/cerium/bromine catalyst stepwise to the oxidation of pseudocumene. As the comparison example shows, it was possible to increase the yield considerably even if the values of the process according to the invention were not attained. A serious disadvantage, however, was the low selectivity of this known process, which led to an increased secondary product formation and thus showed itself by a considerable discoloration of the product in the further reaction to give the anhydride. It was also attempted to replace cerium by zirconium. It thus follows, for example from US-PS 4 755 622, to react pseudocumene to give trimellitic acid or further to give the anhydride using a cobalt/manganese/zirconium/bromine catalyst. As the comparison example shows, the yield of the known process is only slightly below the values of the process according to the invention. A considerable disadvantage is again the selectivity, which leads to relatively high secondary product formation and thus leads to considerable discoloration of the product in the direct further reaction of the acid to give the anhydride. Since, as mentioned at the beginning, trimellitic anhydride is employed for the preparation of polyesters, an inferior quality of the starting materials influences the properties of the polyester prepared therefrom considerably. The object was therefore to develop a process in which pseudocumene can be reacted to give trimellitic acid very selectively and with a high yield. It was possible to achieve this object successfully using a process according to Claim 1. In this process, pseudocumene is oxidised with air in acetic acid as a solvent and in the presence of cobalt, manganese, cerium and bromine and, according to the invention, additionally using titanium, to give trimellitic acid. Surprisingly, it was possible to achieve an increased selectivity, synonymously with a reduction in secondary product formation, in high yield by means of the additional catalyst component titanium. The starting material of the process according to the invention is expediently an industrial pseudocumene. The solvent acetic acid can contain up to 10% by weight water and is customarily employed in a weight ratio of acetic acid to pseudocumene of 1:1 to 4:1, preferably 1,5:1 to 3,0:1. The process according to the invention is expediently carried out such that the total metal concentration (Co, Mn, Ce, Ti), relative to pseudocumene, is between 0,1 and 1% by weight, preferably between 0,20 and 0,55% by weight. The bromine concentration, relative to pseudocumene, expediently varies between 0,05 and 0,7% by weight, preferably between 0,1 and 0,3% by weight. Relative to the total metal concentration, the concentrations of the individual metal components advantageously vary within the following ranges: Cobalt: 20 to 60% by weight, preferably 35 to 55% by weight Manganese: 10 to 50% by weight, preferably 20 to 40% by weight Cerium: 5 to 30% by weight, preferably 10 to 25% by weight Titanium: 0,5 to 10% by weight, preferably 1 to 7% by weight. The metal catalysts are expediently employed in the form of suitable organometallic compounds or in the form of salts which are easily available and soluble in acetic acid, that is to say, for example, cobalt in the form of the acetate, manganese in the form of the acetate or chloride, and cerium and titanium in the form of the chloride. Bromine is also customarily not employed in elementary form, but in the form of suitable organic or inorganic compounds. Bromides, such as, for example, ammonium bromide, or hydrogen bromide are advantageously employed. The addition of catalyst can either be carried out by initially introducing the total amount of the metal catalysts and bromine before the beginning of the reaction, or by adding the catalyst composition and the amount of catalyst according to the course of the reaction. Advantageously, the catalyst composition and the amount of catalyst are added according to the course of the reaction. In a preferred variant, for example, the reaction is initiated using a starting amount of a catalyst composition of cobalt, manganese, titanium and bromine, the total amount of cobalt already being present and the remaining amount of manganese, titanium, bromine and cerium being added stepwise or continuously in the course of the reaction. The oxidation of pseudocumene to trimellitic acid takes place in a temperature range from 140 to 240°C, preferably between 150 and 220°C, and at appropriate pressures between 5 and 30 bar, preferably between 6 and 25 bar. The oxidising agent is advantageously air, although it is possible to use oxidising agents with different oxygen content. To avoid formation of explosive mixtures oxygen in the off gases is preferably kept below 8% vol. The reaction is as a rule complete after 50 to 100 min. Yields of over 90 mol% can be achieved using the process according to the invention. The trimellitic acid formed by this process according to the invention already has a very high purity (low secondary product formation) so that it can be subjected directly to the thermal dehydration to give trimellitic anhydride without a special purification step. This dehydration step is known from the literature (cf., for example, Ullmann's Encyklopädie der techn. Chemie, (Ullmann's Encyclopaedia of Industrial Chemistry, 4th edition, Vol. 9, p. 150) and expediently comprises a thermal dehydration step at 220 to 230°C and a subsequent vacuum distillation of the resulting trimellitic anhydride. In comparison to the known processes, the trimellitic anhydride obtained via the trimellitic acid prepared according to the invention has a demonstrably better quality, which is shown by a substantially lower intrinsic coloration and a better quality of the polyesters prepared therefrom. Examples Introduction: The following experiments were carried out in a customarily equipped 5 l titanium autoclave. During the experiments, continuous measurement of O₂, CO and CO₂ in the off gases was ensured. Oxygen concentration in the off gases was kept below 8% vol. The crude trimellitic acid obtained was dehydrated directly, according to Example 1, to give trimellitic anhydride. The latter was subjected to the following quality tests: Resin test: 15 g of the respective trimellitic anhydride and 20 g of ethylene glycol were put into a glass cylinder of the dimensions: diameter 20 mm, height 200 mm and the mixture was polymerised at 200°C ± 5% in an electrically heated aluminium block during the course of 60 min. The coloration of the polyester resin obtained was measured according to the APHA or Hazen colour test according to ASTM-D 1209-62 in Hz (Hazen). A lower Hz value, for example 20-40, in this case means a slight coloration, while a higher value, for example 80 and higher, already points to a considerably discoloured product. The molten trimellitic anhydride was subjected to the same colour test. Example 1 540 g of pseudocumene were initially introduced into the reactor in 1080 g of acetic acid (H₂O content 45 g). The starting amount of catalyst, containing cobalt in the form of the acetate, manganese in the form of the acetate and titanium in the form of the chloride, was initially introduced in the ratio Co 62% by weight, Mn 35,5% by weight and Ti 2,5% by weight (metal concentration of 0,233% by weight, relative to pseudocumene). The starting amount of bromine in the form of ammonium bromide was initially introduced in an amount of 0,039% by weight of bromine, relative to pseudocumene. The reaction mixture was heated under nitrogen with stirring. Air was introduced at a pressure of about 6 bar from 160°C. The reaction temperature was then increased stepwise to 210°C in the course of 40 min, synchronised with a pressure increase of 23 bar. 10 min after the start of the reaction, a catalyst solution in acetic acid containing Mn, Ti, Ce in the weight ratio 9/9/82 in the form of the appropriate salts and 0,14% by weight of bromine, relative to pseudocumene, was added continuously during the course of 50 min. The amount of metal catalyst continuously added, relative to pseudocumene, was 0,076% by weight. The total metal concentration (starting amount + amount added) was thus 0,31% by weight, relative to pseudocumene. The total amount of bromine, relative to pseudocumene, was 0,178% by weight. After a reaction time of 65 min the oxygen content in the waste off gases reached 8% vol, the reaction was discontinued, the reaction mixture was cooled to 50°C and the resultant slurry was filtered. Relative to the pseudocumene employed, a yield according to HPLC of 91,5 mol% was achieved. The secondary product relative to the pseudocumene employed was determined to be 3,1 mol%; CO and CO₂ to be 5,4 mol%. The still moist filter cake was directly further treated to give trimellitic anhydride. To do this, the trimellitic acid was dehydrated thermally at 220°C during the course of 3 h and the resultant anhydride was then subjected to a vacuum distillation at 10 mm Hg. The resultant trimellitic anhydride had a melting point of 168,9°C. The colour of the product in the molten state was 60 Hz. The resin test gave a value of 20 Hz. Example 2 The reaction was carried out according to Example 1, but with a changed starting catalyst composition of Co to Mn to Ti of 60% by weight/39% by weight/1% by weight and a changed catalyst composition during the continuous addition of Mn to Ti to Ce of 10% by weight/4% by weight/86% by weight. The reaction lasted 72 min. The results can be seen from the table. Example 3 The reaction was carried out according to Example 1, but with a changed starting catalyst composition of Co to Mn to Ti of 61% by weight/35% by weight/4% by weight and a changed catalyst composition during the continuous addition of Mn to Ti to Ce of 9% by weight/14% by weight/77% by weight. The reaction lasted 60 min. For the results see the table. Example 4 The reaction was carried out according to Example 1, but with a weight ratio acetic acid/pseudocumene of 3:1 instead of 2:1. In the same apparatus used in Example 1 were charged 420 g of pseudocumene, 1260 g of acetic acid containing 53 g of water. The composition of the initial catalyst and of the catalyst added during the oxidation was the same as in Example 1. The total metal concentration (initial plus added) was 0,31% by weight, the total amount of bromine, relative to pseudocumene was 0,179% by weight. The introduction of air was started at 155°C and at a pressure of 10 bar. The reaction temperature was increased stepwise to 210°C over the course of 40 min. During the course of this, the pressure rose to 27 bar. The catalyst solution mentioned in Example 1 was added 10 minutes after the start of the reaction. The reaction was complete after 70 min. It was possible to obtain a yield acid of 91,7 mol%. Comparison Example A (according to US-PS 3 683 016, Example 1) Co/Mn/Ce catalyst without titanium 385 g of pseudocumene and 1235 g of acetic acid were initially introduced with a Co/Mn/Ce catalyst, consisting of 10% by weight of Ce, 10% by weight of Mn and 80% by weight of Co such that the total metal concentration, relative to pseudocumene, was 0,22% by weight. 0,8% by weight of bromine, relative to pseudocumene, was also added. The reaction mixture was heated to 185°C (365°F) (pressure 9 bar), after which air was introduced. The temperature was increased to 206°C during the course of 50 min. During the course of this, the pressure rose to 28 bar. A catalyst solution, containing 0,12% by weight of Mn and 0,03% by weight of Ce and 0,9% by weight of bromine (weight relative to pseudocumene) was added 30 min after the start of the reaction. The reaction was complete after a rection time of 65 min. The results are shown in the table. Comparison Example B (according to US-PS 4 755 622, Example 1) Co/Mn/Zr catalyst without titanium. 580 g of pseudocumene and 1030 g of acetic acid (containing 54 g of water) were initially introduced into the reactor with a Co/Mn/Zr/Br catalyst, containing 0,0173 g atom of cobalt, 0,00465 g atom of manganese, 0,000385 g atom of zirconium and 0,00336 mol of HBr. The reaction mixture was heated to 160°C and the pressure set at 10 bar, after which air was introduced. 0,0111 mol of HBr, 0,000919 mol of manganese and 0,000281 mol of zirconium were added in the course of the oxidation. The reaction temperature was increased to 210°C, and the pressure to 28 bar, in the course of the reaction. The reaction was complete after 70 min. The results are summarised in the table. Example 1 2 3 4 A B Yield of trimellitic acid mol% 91,5 91,6 91,0 91,7 89,1 90,0 Secondary products mol% 3,1 3,4 3,3 3,0 4,6 3,9 CO + CO₂ mol% 5,4 5,0 5,7 5,3 6,3 6,1 Reaction time min 65 72 60 75 73 68 Colour test according ASTM-D 1209-62 Molten trimellitic anhydride Hz 60 80 60 60 200 150 Resin test Hz 20 40 20 20 70 60

Claims: Process for the preparation of trimellitic acid by catalytic oxidation of pseudocumene with air in acetic acid as a solvent and in the presence of cobalt, manganese, cerium and bromine as a catalyst, characterised in that titanium is employed as an additional catalyst component. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that the total metal concentration, comprising cobalt, manganese, cerium and titanium, is between 0,1 and 1% by weight, relative to pseudocumene. Process according to Claim 2, characterised in that the titanium content is between 0,5 and 10% by weight, relative to the total metal concentration. Process according to either of Claims 2 or 3, characterised in that the cobalt content is between 20 and 60% by weight, relative to the total metal concentration. Process according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the manganese content is between 10 and 50% by weight, relative to the total metal concentration. Process according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the cerium content is between 5 and 30% by weight, relative to the total metal concentration. Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that 0,05 to 0,7% by weight of bromine is employed, relative to pseudocumene. Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the ratio of acetic acid to pseudocumene is between 1 to 1 and 4 to 1. Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the reaction is carried out at a reaction temperature between 140 and 240°C and at a pressure between 5 and 30 bars. Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 followed by conversion of the trimellitic acid so formed into trimellitic anhydride.

Inventors: CAPITANIO LORENZO, FUMAGALLI CARLO DR, STEFANI GIANCARLO DR, CAPITANIO, LORENZO, FUMAGALLI, CARLO, DR., STEFANI, GIANCARLO, DR.
Applicants: LONZA SPA, LONZA S.P.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C07C51
IPC codes: C07C63, C07C51, B01J27, B01J31, C07B61