A method of reducing the formation of an impurity in a terephthalic acid (TPA) production process comprising: combining in a reactor, a catalyst, a mixture comprising the impurity and the TPA, and a compound comprising an active carbon atom; wherein the impurity comprises formula (I); R 1 -Bn-COH (I) wherein R 1 comprises a hydrogen atom, an alkyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, aldehyde, ether, ester, alkynyl, alkenyl, halo, hydroxyl, haloformyl, carbonate ester, carboxyl ate, peroxy, acetal, a nitrogen containing functional group, a sulfur containing functional group, a phosphorous containing functional group, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; wherein Bn is a benzene ring; and wherein COH is an aldehyde group; wherein the compound comprises formula (II), (III), or (IV); Z 1 -CH 2 -Z 2 (II) Z 1 -CHR 2 -Z 2 (III) Z 1 -CHR 2 R 3 (IV) wherein Z 1 and Z 2 each comprise an electron withdrawing functional group, and wherei n R 2 and R 3 each comprise an atom of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or a combi nati on comprising at least one of the foregoi ng; reacting the impurity with the compound in the presence of the catalyst by a condensation-dehydration reaction process comprising a nucleophilic addition of the active carbon atom of the compound to a carbonyl group of the impurity to form an intermediate followed by a dehydration reaction of the intermediate to form a product mixture comprising a water, the TPA, and an alkene comprising formula (V), (VI), or (VII); R 4 -Bn-C 2 Z 1 Z 2 (V) R 4 -Bn-C 2 Z 1 R 2 Z 2 (VI) R 4 -Bn-C 2 Z 1 R 2 R 3 (VII) wherein R 4 comprises R 1 or COH; and recovering the product mixture from the reactor. combining in a reactor, a catalyst, a mixture comprising the impurity and the TPA, and a compound comprising an active carbon atom; wherein the impurity comprises formula (I); R 1 -Bn-COH (I) wherein R 1 comprises a hydrogen atom, an alkyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, aldehyde, ether, ester, alkynyl, alkenyl, halo, hydroxyl, haloformyl, carbonate ester, carboxyl ate, peroxy, acetal, a nitrogen containing functional group, a sulfur containing functional group, a phosphorous containing functional group, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; wherein Bn is a benzene ring; and wherein COH is an aldehyde group; wherein R 1 comprises a hydrogen atom, an alkyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, aldehyde, ether, ester, alkynyl, alkenyl, halo, hydroxyl, haloformyl, carbonate ester, carboxyl ate, peroxy, acetal, a nitrogen containing functional group, a sulfur containing functional group, a phosphorous containing functional group, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; wherein Bn is a benzene ring; and wherein COH is an aldehyde group; wherein the compound comprises formula (II), (III), or (IV); Z 1 -CH 2 -Z 2 (II) Z 1 -CHR 2 -Z 2 (III) Z 1 -CHR 2 R 3 (IV) wherein Z 1 and Z 2 each comprise an electron withdrawing functional group, and wherei n R 2 and R 3 each comprise an atom of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or a combi nati on comprising at least one of the foregoi ng; wherein Z 1 and Z 2 each comprise an electron withdrawing functional group, and wherei n R 2 and R 3 each comprise an atom of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or a combi nati on comprising at least one of the foregoi ng; reacting the impurity with the compound in the presence of the catalyst by a condensation-dehydration reaction process comprising a nucleophilic addition of the active carbon atom of the compound to a carbonyl group of the impurity to form an intermediate followed by a dehydration reaction of the intermediate to form a product mixture comprising a water, the TPA, and an alkene comprising formula (V), (VI), or (VII); R 4 -Bn-C 2 Z 1 Z 2 (V) R 4 -Bn-C 2 Z 1 R 2 Z 2 (VI) R 4 -Bn-C 2 Z 1 R 2 R 3 (VII) wherein R 4 comprises R 1 or COH; and recovering the product mixture from the reactor. <EOS>