Patent ID: 7560566

Claim:
A process for the production of a heteroaromatic carboxylic acid wherein the heteroaromatic is a pyridine ring or a pyrimidine ring, the process comprising contacting, in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising one or more heavy metal compounds, an alkyl-substituted heteroaromatic compound with an oxidant to form said heteroaromatic carboxylic acid, such contact being effected with said alkyl-substituted heteroaromatic compound and the oxidant in an aqueous solvent comprising water under supercritical conditions or near supercritical conditions close to the supercritical point, wherein said one or more heavy metal compounds are selected from the group consisting of cobalt, manganese, vanadium, chromium, iron, molybdenum, cerium, zirconium, hafnium and nickel.