Selective partial oxidation in supercritical water: the continuous generation of terephthalic acid from para-xylene in high yield

Paul A. Hamley; Thomas Ilkenhans; Jeremy M. Webster; Eduardo Garcia-Verdugo; Eleni Venardou; Matthew J. Clarke; Rita Auerbach; W. Barry Thomas; Keith Whiston; Martyn Poliakoff

doi:10.1039/B202087B

Selective partial oxidation in supercritical water: the continuous generation of terephthalic acid from para-xylene in high yield

Paul A. Hamley,^a Thomas Ilkenhans,^a Jeremy M. Webster,^a Eduardo Garcia-Verdugo,^a Eleni Venardou,^a Matthew J. Clarke,^a Rita Auerbach,^a W. Barry Thomas,^b Keith Whiston^b and Martyn Poliakoff*^a

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* Corresponding authors

^a School of Chemistry, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
E-mail: Martyn.poliakoff@nottingham.ac.uk

^b DuPont Polyester Technologies, PO Box 2002, Wilton, Middlesbrough, UK

Abstract

The continuous selective oxidation of p-xylene (p-X) by O₂ (generated by thermal decomposition of aqueous H₂O₂) catalyzed by MnBr₂ in supercritical H₂O at ca. 400 ^oC is reported for the first time. The selectivity for terephthalic acid (TA) is >90%. Compared to existing industrial processes, the reaction has the potential for a significant increase in energy efficiency and a substantial reduction in waste. This reaction is significant because the presence of H₂O lowers the catalytic activity of MnBr₂ in the conventional route to TA via oxidation of p-X in CH₃COOH.

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Selective partial oxidation in supercritical water: the continuous generation of terephthalic acid from para-xylene in high yield

Abstract

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