Patent ID: 8703639

Claim:
A process for the preparation of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine or a salt thereof, the process comprising contacting N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid or a salt thereof with an oxidation catalyst and in the presence of oxygen, wherein the catalyst comprises a carbon support having metal particles at a surface of the carbon support, said metal particles comprising noble metal atoms alloyed with iron and cobalt atoms in the form of an alloy selected from the group consisting of an intermetallic compound, a substitutional alloy, a multiphasic alloy, an interstitial alloy, and combinations thereof, wherein the noble metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, silver, osmium, gold and combinations thereof, wherein: said noble metal constitutes from about 4 to about 8% by weight of said catalyst; iron constitutes at least about 0.05% by weight of the catalyst; and cobalt constitutes at least about 0.05% by weight of the catalyst.