Synthesis of carboxylic acids from olefinic compounds, carbon monoxide and water in the presence of a solvent

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING CARBOXYLIC ACIDS BY REACTING AN OEFINIC COMPOUND, CARBON MONOXIDE AND WATER IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATALYST TAKEN FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF COBALT CARBONYLS AND COBALT COMPOUNDS CAPABLE OF BEING CONVERTED TO COBALT CARBONYLS UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF THE PROCESS, THE IMPROVEMENT CONSISTING IN ADDING TO THE REACTANT AN ORGANIC SOLVENT HAVING A HIGH DISSOLVING POWER FOR THE OLEFINIC COMPOUND, WATER, THE CATALYST ANT THE RESULTING CARBOXYLIC ACID, IN AN AMOUNT SUCH THAT THE REACTION MASS CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF A HOMOGENEOUS LIQUID PHASE CONTAINING THE OLEFINIC COMPOUND, WATER, THE CARBOXYLIC ACID FORMED, AND THE CATALYST, THE RATIO BETWEEN MOLS OF WATER AND MOLS OF OLEFINIC COMPOUND BEING GREATER THAN ONE, THE RATIO BETWEEN WEIGHT OF WATER PLUS WEIGHT OF OLEFINIC COMPOUND TO WEIGHT OF SOLVENT BEING BELOW THAT AT WHICH ANY SUBSTANTIAL PHASE SEPARATION OCCURS, AND HEATING TO A TEMPERATURE OF 100* TO 190*C. AT A CARBON MONOXIDE PRESSURE OF 80 TO 250 ATM.