Patent ID: 7456313

Claim:
A process for oxidizing a hydrocarbon, which comprises subjecting the hydrocarbon to a liquid phase catalytic oxidation reaction in the presence of at least one oxidation catalyst to form an oxidized product, wherein said liquid phase comprises a solvent having a boiling point of at least 25° C. and Hildebrand solubility parameter no greater than 7 cal 1/2 cm −3/2 (14 MPa 1/2 ); wherein said at least one oxidation catalyst is selected from the group consisting of: (i) a mixed metal oxide having the empirical formula A a M b N c X d Z e O f wherein A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo and W; M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V and Ce; N is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Te, Sb and Se; X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Ti, Al, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, Sb, Bi, B, In, As, Ge, Sn, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra, Hf, Pb, P, Pm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; and Z is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ga, Ir, Sm, Pd, Au, Ag, Cu, Sc, Y, Pr, Nd and Tb; and wherein, when a=1, b=0.01 to 1.0, c=0.01 to 1.0, d=0.01 to 1.0, e=0 to 0.1, and f is dependent on the oxidation state of the other elements; and (ii) a mixed metal oxide having the empirical formula Mo a Bi b Fe c A d E e O x , wherein O is oxygen; A is at least one element selected from among Ni and Co; E is at least an element selected among alkali metal elements or alkaline earth metal elements, Tl, P, Te, Sb, Sn, Pb, Nb, Mn, As, Zn, Si, B, Al, Ti, Zn and W; and wherein a, b, c, d, e and x are the relative atomic ratios of the respective elements Mo, Bi, Fe, A, E and O, where a is 12, b is 0.1-10, c is 0.1-20, d is 1-20, e is 0-30, and x is a positive numerical value determined by the oxidation state of the other elements; and wherein temperature of the reaction is at least 100° C. and no more than 250° C.