The present invention describes a selective glycerol oxidation process comprising a set of steps. In the first step, a glycerol-containing raw material and an oxidizing agent are fed into a reaction vessel containing an iron oxide-containing catalyst. Subsequently, the glycerol-containing raw material, the oxidizing agent, and said iron oxide-containing catalyst are brought into contact at a temperature in the range of 100 to 350? C., wherein the glycerol-oxidation reaction occurs.

A continuous process for the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils containing triglycerides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, to obtain saturated carboxylic acids, comprising feeding to a first continuous reactor a vegetable oil, an oxidizing compound and catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the olefinic double bond to obtain an intermediate compound containing vicinal diols: feeding to a second continuous reactor said intermediate compound, a compound containing oxygen and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the vicinal diols to carboxylic groups, to obtain saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) and triglycerides containing saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function (ii); separating the saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) from the triglycerides (ii); hydrolyzing in a third reactor the triglycerides (ii) to obtain glycerol and saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function; and purifying said saturated carboxylic acids by fractioned crystallization by means of wash column (melt crystallization).

A continuous process for the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils containing triglycerides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, to obtain saturated carboxylic acids, comprising feeding to a first continuous reactor a vegetable oil, an oxidizing compound and catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the olefinic double bond to obtain an intermediate compound containing vicinal diols: feeding to a second continuous reactor said intermediate compound, a compound containing oxygen and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the vicinal diols to carboxylic groups, to obtain saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) and triglycerides containing saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function (ii); separating the saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) from the triglycerides (ii); hydrolyzing in a third reactor the triglycerides (ii) to obtain glycerol and saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function; and purifying said saturated carboxylic acids by fractioned crystallization by means of wash column (melt crystallization).

A continuous process for the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils containing triglycerides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, to obtain saturated carboxylic acids, comprising feeding to a first continuous reactor a vegetable oil, an oxidizing compound and catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the olefinic double bond to obtain an intermediate compound containing vicinal diols: feeding to a second continuous reactor said intermediate compound, a compound containing oxygen and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the vicinal diols to carboxylic groups, to obtain saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) and triglycerides containing saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function (ii); separating the saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) from the triglycerides (ii); hydrolyzing in a third reactor the triglycerides (ii) to obtain glycerol and saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function; and purifying said saturated carboxylic acids by fractioned crystallization by means of wash column (melt crystallization).

A process of oxidizing an alcohol for the production of its corresponding carbonyl compounds is disclosed, wherein the oxidation is performed with oxygen or gases containing oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising at least a gold compound and a copper compound. Said alcohol oxidation by gaseous oxidant can achieve a high yield and selectivity with minimized degradation products or waste organic solvents.

A process of oxidizing an alcohol for the production of its corresponding carbonyl compounds is disclosed, wherein the oxidation is performed with oxygen or gases containing oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising at least a gold compound and a copper compound. Said alcohol oxidation by gaseous oxidant can achieve a high yield and selectivity with minimized degradation products or waste organic solvents.

A continuous process for the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils containing triglycerides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, to obtain saturated carboxylic acids, comprising feeding to a first continuous reactor a vegetable oil, an oxidizing compound and catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the olefinic double bond to obtain an intermediate compound containing vicinal diols: feeding to a second continuous reactor said intermediate compound, a compound containing oxygen and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the vicinal diols to carboxylic groups, to obtain saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) and triglycerides containing saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function (ii); separating the saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) from the triglycerides (ii); hydrolyzing in a third reactor the triglycerides (ii) to obtain glycerol and saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function; and purifying said saturated carboxylic acids by fractioned crystallization by means of wash column (melt crystallization).

A continuous process for the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils containing triglycerides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, to obtain saturated carboxylic acids, comprising feeding to a first continuous reactor a vegetable oil, an oxidizing compound and catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the olefinic double bond to obtain an intermediate compound containing vicinal diols: feeding to a second continuous reactor said intermediate compound, a compound containing oxygen and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the vicinal diols to carboxylic groups, to obtain saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) and triglycerides containing saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function (ii); separating the saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) from the triglycerides (ii); hydrolyzing in a third reactor the triglycerides (ii) to obtain glycerol and saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function; and purifying said saturated carboxylic acids by fractioned crystallization by means of wash column (melt crystallization).

A continuous process for the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils containing triglycerides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, to obtain saturated carboxylic acids, comprising feeding to a first continuous reactor a vegetable oil, an oxidizing compound and catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the olefinic double bond to obtain an intermediate compound containing vicinal diols: feeding to a second continuous reactor said intermediate compound, a compound containing oxygen and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the vicinal diols to carboxylic groups, to obtain saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) and triglycerides containing saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function (ii); separating the saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) from the triglycerides (ii); hydrolyzing in a third reactor the triglycerides (ii) to obtain glycerol and saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function; and purifying said saturated carboxylic acids by fractioned crystallization by means of wash column (melt crystallization).

Provided is a continuous process for the oxidative cleavage of derivatives of unsaturated carboxylic acids for the production of saturated carboxylic acids and their derivatives which comprises the steps of: a) feeding to a first reactor at least a derivative of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, an oxidizing compound and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the olefinic double bond to obtain an intermediate compound containing vicinal diols, and of b) feeding to a second reactor said intermediate compound, a compound containing oxygen and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the vicinal diols to carboxylic groups, to obtain saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) and derivatives of saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function (ii); c) separating the saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) from the derivatives of carboxylic acids having more than one acid function (ii).