Effects of Catalysts on the Liquid Phase Oxygen Oxidation of Acetaldehyde to Acetic Acid and Acetic Anhydride

Abstract

The effects of metal catalysts for oxidation of acetaldehyde in ethyl acetate with oxygen to simultaneous formation of acetic acid and acetic anhydride have been investigated. The oxidation activities of the catalysts for acetaldehyde were in order of Co > Mn > Ni > Cr > no catalyst, Fe, Ag, and Cu. The decomposition activities of the catalysts for peracetic acid were in order of Ni, Co > Cr, Mn > Cu, Ag, Fe. and no catalyst. A parallel relation was qualitatively found between the orders of these activities. The activities of catalysts for formation of acetic anhydride were in order of Co > Mn > Ni > Cr; Co > no catalyst.The catalyst of Co with Cu had a maximum oxidation activity when the addition of Cu was 0.075 (atomic ratio of Cu/Co); and, the activity for formation of acetic anhydride was increased proportionally up to the addition of 0.5. The tendency of this efficiency was attributed at least in part to the action of suppressiong of hydrolysis of acetic anhydride by the catalyst in the reacting solution.