Patent ID: 6927304

Claim:
A process for oxidizing a reagent, the process comprising: contacting an aqueous reaction mixture comprising the reagent and a heterogenous oxidation catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas in an oxidation reaction zone to oxidize the reagent and produce an aqueous reaction product mixture comprising the oxidized reagent and the oxidation catalyst and having oxygen dissolved therein, the oxidation catalyst comprising a noble metal deposited on a carbon support; separating at least a portion of the oxidized reagent from the reaction product mixture to form a product fraction comprising the separated oxidized reagent substantially free of the oxidation catalyst and a catalyst slurry fraction comprising the oxidation catalyst in contact with a liquid medium having oxygen dissolved therein; subjecting the catalyst slurry fraction to a de-oxygenation treatment to reduce the dissolved oxygen concentration in the catalyst slurry fraction; and recycling and introducing the de-oxygenated catalyst slurry fraction into the oxidation reaction zone.