| abstract |
The method of the present invention provides an improvement over prior art methanol carbonylation methods which substantially reduces the production of carbonyl impurities. The production of carbonyl impurities, particularly acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, and 2-ethyl crotonaldehyde, in methanol carbonylation reactions has been found to decrease by maintaining about 5 wt % or less methyl iodide in the reaction medium during the course of the reaction. |