Process for recovery of organic acids

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF TOLUENE-SOLUBLE ORGANIC ACIDS BY SELECTIVELY REACTING AN ALIPHATIC CONJUGATED DIOLEFIN WITH AN ALKALI METAL TO FORM A MIXTURE COMPRISING DIALKALI METAL DERIVATIVES OF DIMERS OF THE DIOLEFIN, CARBONATING SAID MIXTURE TO FORM A MIXTURE COMPRISING DIALKALI METAL SALTS OF ORGANIC ACIDS HAVING TWO MORE CARBON ATOMS/MOLECULE THAN SAID DIOLEFIN DIMER AND CONVERSION OF SAID MIXTURE OF SALTS BY HYDROGENATION AND ACIDIFICATION TO A MIXTURE OF TOLUENE-SOLUBLE WATER-INSOLUBLE ORGANIC ACIDS AND TOLUENE-SOLUBLE WATER-SOLUBLE ORGANIC ACIDS, THE IMPROVEMENT PROVIDING FOR OBTAINMENT OF INCREASED YIELD OF TOLUENE-SLUBLE ORGANIC ACIDS WHICH COMPROSES SUBJECTING THE TOLUENE-SOLUBLE ORGANIC ACIDS WHICH ORGANIC ACID COMPONENTS, SEPARATED FROM THEIR MIXTURE WITH TOLUENE-SOLUBLE WATER-INSOLUBLE ORGANIC ACIDS, TO AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE UP TO ABOUT 250*C. FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO CONVERT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF SAID TOLUENE-INSOLUBLE ORGANIC ACIDS TO TOLUENE-SOLUBLE ORGANIC ACIDS.