Patent ID: 7262322

Claim:
A process for the oxidation of a C 2 to C 4 alkane to produce the corresponding alkene and carboxylic acid and/or for the oxidation of a C 2 to C 4 alkene to produce the corresponding carboxylic acid, which process comprises feeding to an oxidation reaction zone said alkane and/or alkene, a molecular oxygen-containing gas, carbon monoxide, and optionally water, in the presence of a catalyst active for the oxidation of the alkane to the corresponding alkene and carboxylic acid and/or active for the oxidation of the alkene to the corresponding carboxylic acid, to produce a first product stream comprising alkene and carboxylic acid, characterised in that said carbon monoxide is maintained at between 1% and 20% by volume of the total feed to the oxidation reaction zone.