A process for preparing a variety of secondary and tertiary alkyl formate esters via the coupling of methanol and secondary (or tertiary) alcohols. Iron-based catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed to produce these formate esters in high yields and unprecedentedly high selectivities (>99%). Remarkably, the coupling strategy is also applicable to bulkier tertiary alcohols, which afford corresponding tertiary formate esters in moderately high yields and high selectivities.

A process for preparing a variety of secondary and tertiary alkyl formate esters via the coupling of methanol and secondary (or tertiary) alcohols. Iron-based catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed to produce these formate esters in high yields and unprecedentedly high selectivities (>99%). Remarkably, the coupling strategy is also applicable to bulkier tertiary alcohols, which afford corresponding tertiary formate esters in moderately high yields and high selectivities.

An integrated process for the production of one or more acetylene derivatives is provided. The integrated process includes a) partially oxidizing a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a partial oxidation mixture comprising H.sub.2, CO, and acetylene, b) providing the H.sub.2 and CO of the partial oxidation mixture to a collocated methanol production process to produce a methanol-containing effluent; c) providing the methanol-containing effluent to a collocated carbonylation process to produce an acetic acid-containing effluent; and d) providing the acetylene of the partial oxidation mixture and the acetic acid-containing effluent to one or more of the collocated acetylene-derivative processes following: i) a vinyl acetate monomer production process; ii) an oxidation unit for the production of formaldehyde from the methanol-containing effluent; iii) a vinyl chloride monomer production process, and/or iv) a 1,4-butanediol production process.

An integrated process for the production of one or more acetylene derivatives is provided. The integrated process includes a) partially oxidizing a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a partial oxidation mixture comprising H.sub.2, CO, and acetylene, b) providing the H.sub.2 and CO of the partial oxidation mixture to a collocated methanol production process to produce a methanol-containing effluent; c) providing the methanol-containing effluent to a collocated carbonylation process to produce an acetic acid-containing effluent; and d) providing the acetylene of the partial oxidation mixture and the acetic acid-containing effluent to one or more of the collocated acetylene-derivative processes following: i) a vinyl acetate monomer production process; ii) an oxidation unit for the production of formaldehyde from the methanol-containing effluent; iii) a vinyl chloride monomer production process, and/or iv) a 1,4-butanediol production process.

A method for producing dicarboxylic acid. The method includes: subjecting a raw material system including a cyclic olefin and a lower monocarboxylic acid to an addition reaction in the presence of an addition reaction catalyst to generate an intermediate product system including cyclic carboxylic acid ester; and subjecting the intermediate product system including cyclic carboxylic acid ester to a ring-opening and oxidation reaction in the presence of an oxidant and an oxidation catalyst to generate a corresponding dicarboxylic acid product. The addition reaction in the dicarboxylic acid synthesis route achieves a high single-pass conversion rate, and the selectivity of the corresponding cyclic carboxylic acid ester is high. The addition-oxidation synthesis route achieves faster reaction rates for both the addition reaction and oxidation reaction, and high yield of corresponding dicarboxylic acid product. The addition-oxidation based synthesis route is suitable for continuous, stable and large-scale production of corresponding dicarboxylic acid product.

A method for producing dicarboxylic acid. The method includes: subjecting a raw material system including a cyclic olefin and a lower monocarboxylic acid to an addition reaction in the presence of an addition reaction catalyst to generate an intermediate product system including cyclic carboxylic acid ester; and subjecting the intermediate product system including cyclic carboxylic acid ester to a ring-opening and oxidation reaction in the presence of an oxidant and an oxidation catalyst to generate a corresponding dicarboxylic acid product. The addition reaction in the dicarboxylic acid synthesis route achieves a high single-pass conversion rate, and the selectivity of the corresponding cyclic carboxylic acid ester is high. The addition-oxidation synthesis route achieves faster reaction rates for both the addition reaction and oxidation reaction, and high yield of corresponding dicarboxylic acid product. The addition-oxidation based synthesis route is suitable for continuous, stable and large-scale production of corresponding dicarboxylic acid product.

The invention relates to a process for separation of organic acids from mixture of ammonium salts of one or more organic acids and other compounds via an integrated process. The process involves suspending mixture of ammonium salts of one or more organic acids and other compounds in dry hydrocarbon solvent/s or mixtures thereof; wherein the selected hydrocarbon solvent/s or mixtures thereof have boiling point more than 100 C. and forms an azeotrope with water. The reaction mixture thus obtained is dehydrated azeotropically followed by esterification of basic salt of the organic acids by addition of alcohol in presence of metal or metal salt; thereafter the individual esters formed are separated by distillation and hydrolyzed to obtain corresponding organic acids having more than 98% purity.

The invention relates to a process for separation of organic acids from mixture of ammonium salts of one or more organic acids and other compounds via an integrated process. The process involves suspending mixture of ammonium salts of one or more organic acids and other compounds in dry hydrocarbon solvent/s or mixtures thereof; wherein the selected hydrocarbon solvent/s or mixtures thereof have boiling point more than 100 C. and forms an azeotrope with water. The reaction mixture thus obtained is dehydrated azeotropically followed by esterification of basic salt of the organic acids by addition of alcohol in presence of metal or metal salt; thereafter the individual esters formed are separated by distillation and hydrolyzed to obtain corresponding organic acids having more than 98% purity.

A process for preparing a variety of secondary and tertiary alkyl formate esters via the coupling of methanol and secondary (or tertiary) alcohols. Iron-based catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed to produce these formate esters in high yields and unprecedentedly high selectivities (>99%). Remarkably, the coupling strategy is also applicable to bulkier tertiary alcohols, which afford corresponding tertiary formate esters in moderately high yields and high selectivities.

A process for preparing a variety of secondary and tertiary alkyl formate esters via the coupling of methanol and secondary (or tertiary) alcohols. Iron-based catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed to produce these formate esters in high yields and unprecedentedly high selectivities (>99%). Remarkably, the coupling strategy is also applicable to bulkier tertiary alcohols, which afford corresponding tertiary formate esters in moderately high yields and high selectivities.