Preparation of aromatic acids and salts thereof

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PREPARING AN ALKALI METAL SALT OF AN ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED HYDROXYAROMATIC CARBOXYLIC ACID, BY ABSORBING CARBON DIOXIDE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS SOLUTION OF AN ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED ALKALI METAL PHENATE IN A SOLVENT FOR THE SAID PHENATE, AND THEREAFTER RECOVERING AN ALKALI METAL SALT OF AN ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED HYDROXYAROMATIC CARBOXYLIC ACID, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONDUCTING THE REACTION IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER BY CONTINUOUSLY CONDUCTING THE ADSORPTION OF THE CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE SOLUTION OF THE PHENATE IN AN ABSORPTION ZONE AND CONTINUOUSLY PASSING THE RESULTING MIXTURE IN NON-TURBULENT FLOW IN LIQUID PHASE AND IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY SUBSTANTIAL GAS PHASE THROUGH A REACTION ZONE MAINTAINED IN LIQUID-FULL CONDITION WITH THE CARBON DIOXIDE PRESSURE ON THE REACTION ZONE BEING AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE PRESSURE EMPOLYED IN EFFECTING THE CARBON DIOXIDE ABSORPTION AND THE TEMPERATURE OF THE REACTION ZONE NOT EXCEEDING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SOLUTION OF THE PHENATE IN THE CARBON DIOXIDE ABSORPTION ZONE.