Process for producing carboxylic acids

Claim 2

A process for producing a carboxylic acid, which comprises: charging into a reactor an alcohol or reactive derivative thereof and a catalyst system consisting essentially of (1) a rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) an alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide and (3) an iodide salt selected from the group consisting of sodium iodide, potassium iodide and lithium iodide, effecting liquid phase carbonylation of said alcohol or reactive derivative thereof by contacting same with carbon monoxide, the amount of said salt being sufficient to continuously provide from 0.5 mol of iodide ion per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution up to the saturation concentration of said salt in the carbonylation reaction solution during the carbonylation reaction, said iodide salt being effective to reduce the formation of by-products and to increase the carbonylation reaction rate, said carbonylation reaction solution containing from about 1 mol to about 5 mols of water and from about 10 -2 mol to about 10 mols of said alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide, per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution.

Claim 3

A process for producing a carboxylic acid, which comprises: charging into a reactor an alcohol or reactive derivative thereof and a catalyst system consisting essentially of (1) a rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) an alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide and (3) an metal iodide salt selected from the group consisting of sodium iodide, potassium iodide and lithium iodide, effecting liquid phase carbonylation of said alcohol or reactive derivative thereof by contacting same with carbon monoxide, the amount of said salt being sufficient to continuously maintain from 0.5 mol of iodide ion per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution up to the saturation concentration of said salt in the carbonylation reaction solution during the carbonylation reaction, said iodide salt being effective to reduce the formation of by-products and to increase the carbonylation reaction rate, said carbonylation reaction solution containing from about 0.7 mol to about 5.9 mols of water and from about 10 -2 mol to about 10 mols of said alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide, per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution.

Claim 4

A process for producing a carboxylic acid, which comprises: charging into a reactor an alcohol or reactive derivative thereof and a catalyst system consisting essentially of (1) a rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) an alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide and (3) an metal iodide salt selected from the group consisting of sodium iodide, potassium iodide and lithium iodide, effecting liquid phase carbonylation of said alcohol or reactive derivative thereof by contacting same with carbon monoxide, the amount of said salt being sufficient to continuously maintain from 0.5 mol of iodide ion per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution up to the saturation concentration of said salt in the carbonylation reaction solution during the carbonylation reaction, said iodide salt being effective to reduce the formation of by-products and to increase the carbonylation reaction rate, said carbonylation reaction solution containing from about 0.7 mol to about 5.9 mols of water and from about 10 -2 mol to about 10 mols of said alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide, per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution.

Claim 5

A process as claimed in claim 1, in which said catalyst system consists essentially of (1) rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) methyl iodide and (3) lithium iodide.

Claim 6

A process as claimed in claim 1, in which said carboxylic acid is acetic acid, said alcohol is methanol and said catalyst system consists essentially of (1) rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) methyl iodide and (3) lithium iodide.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in claim 1, in which said catalyst system consists essentially of (1) rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) methyl iodide and (3) sodium iodide.

Claim 8

A process as claimed in claim 2, in which said catalyst system consists essentially of (1) rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) methyl iodide and (3) lithium iodide.

Claim 9

A process as claimed in claim 2, in which said carboxylic acid is acetic acid, said alcohol is methanol and said catalyst system consists essentially of (1) rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) methyl iodide and (3) lithium iodide.

Claim 10

A process as claimed in claim 1, in which said catalyst system consists essentially of (1) rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) methyl iodide and (3) lithium iodide.

Claim 11

A process for producing a carboxylic acid, which comprises: charging into a reactor an alcohol or reactive derivative thereof and a catalyst system consisting essentially of (1) a rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) an alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide and (3) an alkali metal iodide salt selected from the group consisting of sodium iodide, potassium iodide and lithium iodide, effecting liquid phase carbonylation of said alcohol or reactive derivative thereof by contacting same with carbon monoxide, the amount of said salt being sufficient to continuously maintain from 0.5 mol of iodide ion per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution up to the saturation concentration of said salt in the carbonylation reaction solution during the carbonylation reaction, said iodide salt being effective to reduce the formation of by-products and to increase the carbonylation reaction rate, said carbonylation reaction solution containing from about 1 mol to about 5.9 mols of water and from about 10 -2 mol to about 10 mols of said alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide, per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution.

Claim 12

A process for producing a carboxylic acid, which comprises: charging into a reactor an alcohol or reactive derivative thereof and a catalyst system consisting essentially of (1) a rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) an alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide and (3) an alkali metal iodide salt selected from the group consisting of sodium iodide, potassium iodide and lithium iodide, effecting liquid phase carbonylation of said alcohol or reactive derivative thereof by contacting same with carbon monoxide, the amount of said salt being sufficient to continuously maintain from 0.5 mol of iodide ion per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution up to the saturation concentration of said salt in the carbonylation reaction solution during the carbonylation reaction, said iodide salt being effective to reduce the formation of by-products and to increase the carbonylation reaction rate, said carbonylation reaction solution containing from about 1 mol to about 5.9 mols of water and from about 10 -2 mol to about 10 mols of said alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide, per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution.

Claim 13

A process as claimed in claim 9, in which said alcohol is methanol.

Claim 14

A process as claimed in claim 9, in which said iodide salt is sodium iodide.

Claim 15

A process as claimed in claim 9, in which said iodide salt is potassium iodide.

Claim 16

A process as claimed in claim 9, in which said iodide is lithium iodide.

Claim 17

A process for producing a carboxylic acid, which comprises: charging into a reactor an alcohol or reactive derivative thereof and a catalyst system consisting essentially of (1) a rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) an alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide and (3) an alkali metal iodide salt selected from the group consisting of sodium iodide, potassium iodide and lithium iodide, effecting liquid phase carbonylation of said alcohol or reactive derivative thereof by contacting same with carbon monoxide, the amount of said salt being sufficient to continuously maintain from 0.5 mol of iodide ion per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution up to the saturation concentration of said salt in the carbonylation reaction solution during the carbonylation reaction, said iodide salt being effective to reduce the formation of by-products and to increase the carbonylation reaction rate, said carbonylation reaction solution containing from about 3 mol to about 5 mols of water and from about 10 -2 to about 10 mols of said alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide, per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution.

Claim 18

A process for producing a carboxylic acid, which comprises: charging into a reactor an alcohol or reactive derivative thereof and a catalyst system consisting essentially of (1) a rhodium carbonylation catalyst, (2) an alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide and (3) an alkali metal iodide salt selected from the group consisting of sodium iodide, potassium iodide and lithium iodide, effecting liquid phase carbonylation of said alcohol or reactive derivative thereof by contacting same with carbon monoxide, the amount of said salt being sufficient to continuously maintain from 0.5 mol of iodide ion per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution up to the saturation concentration of said salt in the carbonylation reaction solution during the carbonylation reaction, said iodide salt being effective to reduce the formation of by-products and to increase the carbonylation reaction rate, said carbonylation reaction solution containing from about 3 mol to about 5 mols of water and from about 10 -2 to about 10 mols of said alkyl iodide or alkyl bromide, per liter of the carbonylation reaction solution.

Claim 19

A process as claimed in claim 14, in which said alcohol is methanol.

Claim 20

A process as claimed in claim 14, in which said iodide salt is sodium iodide.

Claim 21

A process as claimed in claim 14, in which said iodide salt is potassium iodide.

Claim 22

A process as claimed in claim 14, in which said iodide salt is lithium iodide.

Claim 23

A process as claimed in claim 1, in which said alcohol is methanol.

Claim 24

A process as claimed in claim 1, in which said iodide salt is sodium iodide.

Claim 25

A process as claimed in claim 1, in which said iodide salt is potassium iodide.

Claim 26

A process as claimed in claim 1, in which said iodide salt is lithium iodide.

Claim 27

A process as claimed in claim 2, in which said alcohol is methanol.

Claim 28

A process as claimed in claim 2, in which said iodide salt is sodium iodide.

Claim 29

A process as claimed in claim 2, in which said iodide salt is potassium iodide.

Claim 30

A process as claimed in claim 2, in which said iodide salt is lithium iodide.