| abstract |
The present invention relates to a method of processing reaction mixtures obtained from the oxidation reaction of cyclohexane to adipic acid. The processing of the reaction mixture obtained from the direct oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid with oxygen, in an organic solvent and in the presence of a catalyst, comprises: (a) a distillation which makes it possible to separate out, on the one hand, a distillate comprising at least some of the most volatile compounds such as the unconverted cyclohexane, the organic solvent, cyclohexanone, cyclohexanol, cyclohexyl esters, lactones and water, and, on the other hand, the distillation residue comprising the diacids formed and the catalyst; (b) the addition of water to the distillation residue in order to form an aqueous solution; (c) crystallization of the adipic acid from the aqueous solution of the distillation residue. |