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.

Disclosed is a process for recovering formic acid from a formate ester that allows for recovery of a formic acid product comprising greater than 75 wt. % formic acid. Disclosed is also a process for producing formic acid by carbonylating a carrier alcohol, hydrolyzing the formate ester of the carrier alcohol, and recovering a formic acid product comprising greater than 70 wt. % formic acid. Discloses are carrier alcohols that enable more favorable hydrolysis equilibriums and/or distillation sequences.

Disclosed is a process for recovering formic acid from a formate ester that allows for recovery of a formic acid product comprising greater than 75 wt. % formic acid. Disclosed is also a process for producing formic acid by carbonylating a carrier alcohol, hydrolyzing the formate ester of the carrier alcohol, and recovering a formic acid product comprising greater than 70 wt. % formic acid. Discloses are carrier alcohols that enable more favorable hydrolysis equilibriums and/or distillation sequences.

Disclosed is a process for recovering formic acid from a formate ester of a C.sub.3 to C.sub.4 alcohol. Disclosed is also a process for producing formic acid by carbonylating a C.sub.3 to C.sub.4 alcohol, hydrolyzing the formate ester of the alcohol, and recovering a formic acid product. The alcohol may be dried and returned to the reactor. The process enables a more energy efficient production of formic acid than the carbonylation of methanol to produce methyl formate.

Disclosed is a process for recovering formic acid from a formate ester of a C.sub.3 to C.sub.4 alcohol. Disclosed is also a process for producing formic acid by carbonylating a C.sub.3 to C.sub.4 alcohol, hydrolyzing the formate ester of the alcohol, and recovering a formic acid product. The alcohol may be dried and returned to the reactor. The process enables a more energy efficient production of formic acid than the carbonylation of methanol to produce methyl formate.

A process for producing oxalic acid containing or having the following steps: i) Utilizing a chemical reaction to produce an alkali metal formate and/or alkaline earth metal formate; ii) Converting the alkali metal formate and/or alkaline earth metal formate to an alkali metal oxalate and/or alkaline earth metal oxalate in a thermal reaction, preferably utilizing hydrogen in the process; iii) Converting the alkali metal oxalate and/or alkaline earth metal oxalate to oxalic acid and an alkali metal base and/or alkaline earth metal base utilizing an electrochemical process; and iv) Recycling the alkali metal base and/or alkaline earth metal base from step (iii) to step (i).

A process for producing oxalic acid containing or having the following steps: i) Utilizing a chemical reaction to produce an alkali metal formate and/or alkaline earth metal formate; ii) Converting the alkali metal formate and/or alkaline earth metal formate to an alkali metal oxalate and/or alkaline earth metal oxalate in a thermal reaction, preferably utilizing hydrogen in the process; iii) Converting the alkali metal oxalate and/or alkaline earth metal oxalate to oxalic acid and an alkali metal base and/or alkaline earth metal base utilizing an electrochemical process; and iv) Recycling the alkali metal base and/or alkaline earth metal base from step (iii) to step (i).

Disclosed is a method of producing hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas and calcium carbonate from formaldehyde. The method includes combining an aqueous base, formaldehyde, and a transition metal complex having a coordination bond between a transition metal and a leaving group to form a homogeneous aqueous solution having a basic pH, wherein the leaving group dissociates from the transition metal complex in response to light and/or the basic pH of the solution, producing hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas and formate or a salt thereof from the formaldehyde present in the homogeneous aqueous solution, and producing calcium carbonate using the formate or salt thereof as a carbon source.

Disclosed is a method of producing hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas and calcium carbonate from formaldehyde. The method includes combining an aqueous base, formaldehyde, and a transition metal complex having a coordination bond between a transition metal and a leaving group to form a homogeneous aqueous solution having a basic pH, wherein the leaving group dissociates from the transition metal complex in response to light and/or the basic pH of the solution, producing hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas and formate or a salt thereof from the formaldehyde present in the homogeneous aqueous solution, and producing calcium carbonate using the formate or salt thereof as a carbon source.

The invention relates to a process for obtaining a formate from a reaction mixture (10) in which a polyoxometallate ion, which acts as a catalyst, is in contact with an organic material at a temperature below 120 C. to produce formic acid in an aqueous solution, with the following steps: a) separating a mixture of formic acid and water from the reaction mixture by reverse osmosis and/or as vapor (18), the vapor (18) subsequently being condensed, and b) reacting the formic acid with a hydroxide (24) in aqueous solution to produce a solution of a formate.