| abstract |
(57) [Summary] Alkyl aromatic compounds are converted to alkyl aromatic aldehydes by a carbonylation reaction. The carbonylation catalyst can be a high boiling carbonylation catalyst that allows for the separation of the aldehyde product by selective volatilization. Alternatively, perfluoroalkylsulfonic acids having carbon atoms of 2 to 18, perfluoroether acid having carbon atoms of 2 to 18, BF 3 ยท (ROH) x ( wherein, R represents CH 3 or H, x is a number from 0.2 to 2), GaBr 3 , GaCl 3 , TaF 5 , NbF 5 and NbBr 5, and when the catalyst is TaF 5 , NbF 5 or NbBr 5 , the reaction is Occurs in the absence of added HF. Preferably, all carbonylation reactions take place in the absence of added HF. Alkyl aromatic aldehydes can be oxidized to produce aromatic acids. The mixed xylene feed is converted to a mixture of dimethylbenzaldehydes and then oxidized to produce trimellitic acid without the need to separate xylenes or dimethylbenzaldehyde isomers. |