| abstract |
A process for producing acetic acid directly from ethylene under mild conditions is provided, wherein ethylene and oxygen are respectively coordinated with the respective transition metals contained in a specified composite catalyst system, and ethylene activated thereby is successively oxidized by two kinds of oxygen complexes contained in the system and having their electric charge states adjusted, the composite catalyst system comprising a complex represented by a formula (MmXn·Lℓ) and a complex represented by a formula (M'm'Zn'·L'(') wherein is a transition metal of the groups, I, IV - VII and iron group; X, an anion; L, an organic phosphorus compound as a ligand; M', a transition metal of Pt group; L', a nitrile, organic fluorine compound or organic phosphorus compound as a ligand; m, m', n and n', each a number determined by the valences of the transition metals and anion; and ℓ and f' each the number of ligands. |