Production of organic acids from aldehydes

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR OXIDIZING AN ALDEHYDE WHICH COMPRISES SIMULTANEOUSLY INTRODUCING SAID ALDEHYDE AND AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A STRONG ALKALI IN SEPARATE STREAMS, INTO A REACTION VESSEL CONTAINING AN AQUEOUS SUSPENSION OF A METALLIC SILVER SATALYST TO FORM A REACTION MIXTURE, SAID ALKALI BEING INTRODUCED IN SUCH QUANTITY RELATIVE TO SAID ALDEHYDE AS TO PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE CHEMICAL EQUIVALENT OF SAID ALKALI FOR EACH EQUIVALENT OF SAID ALDEHYDE? MAINTAINING THE PH OF SAID MIXTURE AT AT LEAST 12.5 AND CONCURRENTLY PASSING MOLECULAR OXYGEN THROUGH SAID MIX TURE, OBTAINING THEREBY AS PRODUCT THE SALT OF THE ACID CORRESPONDING TO SAID ALDEHYDE.

Claim 3

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2CARBOXYLIC ACID WHICH COMPRISES SIMULTANEOUSLY INTRODUCING ACROLEIN DIMER AND AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE IN SEPARATE STREAMS, INTO A REACTION VESSEL CONTAINING AN AQUEOUS SUSPENSION OF A METALLIC SILVER CATALYST TO FORM A REACTION MIXTURE, SAID SODIUM HYDROXIDE BEING INTRODUCED IN SUCH QUANTITY RELATIVE TO SAID ACROLEIN DIMER AS TO PROVIDE FROM ONE TO 1.2 MOLS OF SAID SODIUM HYDROXIDE FOR EACH MOL OF SAID ACROLEIN DIMER? MAINTAINING THE PH OF SAID MIXTURE AT AT LEAST 12.5 AND CONCURRENTLY PASSING MOLECULAR OXYGEN THROUGH SAID MIXTURE TO FORM SODIUM 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2-CARBOXYLATE, LIBERATING SAID 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2-CARBOXYLIC ACID FROM SAID SODIUM 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2CARBOXYLATE, AND RECOVERING SAID 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2-CARBOXYLIC ACID.

Claim 4

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2CARBOXYLIC ACID WHICH COMPRISES SIMULTANEOUSLY INTRODUCING ACROLEIN DIMER AND AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE IN SEPARATE STREAMS, INTO A REACTION VESSEL CONTAINING AN AQUEOUS SUSPENSION OF A METALLIC SILVER CATALYST TO FORM A REACTION MIXTURE, SAID SODIUM HYDROXIDE BEING INTRODUCED IN SUCH QUANTITY RELATIVE TO SAID ACROLEIN DIMER AS TO PROVIDE FROM ONE TO 1.2 MOLS OF SAID SODIUM HYDROXIDE FOR EACH MOL OF SAID ACROLEIN DIMER? MAINTAINING THE PH OF SAID MIXTURE AT AT LEAST 12.5 AND CONCURRENTLY PASSING MOLECULAR OXYGEN THROUGH SAID MIXTURE TO FORM SODIUM 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2-CARBOXYLATE, LIBERATING SAID 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2-CARBOXYLIC ACID FROM SAID SODIUM 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2CARBOXYLATE, AND RECOVERING SAID 2,3-DIHYDRO-1,4-PYRAN-2-CARBOXYLIC ACID.