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.

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.

A method of catalytic oxidation of a lignite using oxygen as an oxidant at atmospheric pressure is provided. The method includes the following steps, pulverizing the lignite to 200-mesh or less; drying the pulverized lignite at a temperature of 80 C. in vacuum for 10 h; weighing 0.5 g of the dried lignite and sequentially adding 10 ml of acetic acid, 0.5 mmol of a catalyst and 0.15-0.25 mmol of a cocatalyst into a round-bottom flask filled with the oxygen, keeping oxygen pressure at 0.1 MPa, reacting at a temperature of 80-120 C. for 4-12 h; using oxygen as the oxidant to catalytically oxidize the reacted lignite at an atmospheric pressure of 0.1 MPa; filtering after the reaction is finished; decompressing the filtrate to remove the acetic acid, adding a small amount of ethyl acetate to dissolve, and using an excess CH.sub.2N.sub.2/ether solution to esterify for 10 h at room temperature; and analyzing the esterified product through a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer.

A method of catalytic oxidation of a lignite using oxygen as an oxidant at atmospheric pressure is provided. The method includes the following steps, pulverizing the lignite to 200-mesh or less; drying the pulverized lignite at a temperature of 80 C. in vacuum for 10 h; weighing 0.5 g of the dried lignite and sequentially adding 10 ml of acetic acid, 0.5 mmol of a catalyst and 0.15-0.25 mmol of a cocatalyst into a round-bottom flask filled with the oxygen, keeping oxygen pressure at 0.1 MPa, reacting at a temperature of 80-120 C. for 4-12 h; using oxygen as the oxidant to catalytically oxidize the reacted lignite at an atmospheric pressure of 0.1 MPa; filtering after the reaction is finished; decompressing the filtrate to remove the acetic acid, adding a small amount of ethyl acetate to dissolve, and using an excess CH.sub.2N.sub.2/ether solution to esterify for 10 h at room temperature; and analyzing the esterified product through a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer.

The present disclosure presents a method of producing formic acid, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof. The method includes forming a reaction mixture. The reaction a mixture is passed over or placed in contact with a metal catalyst component comprising a nanostructured surface, in contact with water, and carbon dioxide. The reaction mixture reacts to produce a reaction product comprising formic acid, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof.

The present disclosure presents a method of producing formic acid, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof. The method includes forming a reaction mixture. The reaction a mixture is passed over or placed in contact with a metal catalyst component comprising a nanostructured surface, in contact with water, and carbon dioxide. The reaction mixture reacts to produce a reaction product comprising formic acid, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof.

The present disclosure presents a method of producing formic acid, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof. The method includes forming a reaction mixture. The reaction a mixture is passed over or placed in contact with a metal catalyst component comprising a nanostructured surface, in contact with water, and carbon dioxide. The reaction mixture reacts to produce a reaction product comprising formic acid, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof.

Provided is a method for recovering a carboxylic acid, by which method the carboxylic acid is separated from an aqueous solution containing water and the carboxylic acid and the separated carboxylic acid is obtained as a carboxylic acid anhydride. The method includes a) a first step of bringing the aqueous solution into liquid-liquid contact with a prepared extractant, the prepared extractant containing a component for extracting the carboxylic acid and a diluent to dissolve the component, b) a second step of distilling the prepared extractant that is subjected to the first step, azeotropically distilling the diluent in the prepared extractant and water, separating the distillate into an extractant component layer mainly containing the diluent and an aqueous layer and then discharging the aqueous layer, returning the extractant component layer mainly containing the diluent to the distillation step as reflux, and discharging the prepared extractant containing the carboxylic acid through a bottom of the column; and c) a third step comprising re-distilling the prepared extractant containing the carboxylic acid discharged by the second step, and returning, to the first step, the prepared extractant from which the carboxylic acid and water are removed, the prepared extractant being discharged through a bottom of the column, where the diluent in the prepared extractant have a minimum boiling azeotrope with water.

Provided is a method for recovering a carboxylic acid, by which method the carboxylic acid is separated from an aqueous solution containing water and the carboxylic acid and the separated carboxylic acid is obtained as a carboxylic acid anhydride. The method includes a) a first step of bringing the aqueous solution into liquid-liquid contact with a prepared extractant, the prepared extractant containing a component for extracting the carboxylic acid and a diluent to dissolve the component, b) a second step of distilling the prepared extractant that is subjected to the first step, azeotropically distilling the diluent in the prepared extractant and water, separating the distillate into an extractant component layer mainly containing the diluent and an aqueous layer and then discharging the aqueous layer, returning the extractant component layer mainly containing the diluent to the distillation step as reflux, and discharging the prepared extractant containing the carboxylic acid through a bottom of the column; and c) a third step comprising re-distilling the prepared extractant containing the carboxylic acid discharged by the second step, and returning, to the first step, the prepared extractant from which the carboxylic acid and water are removed, the prepared extractant being discharged through a bottom of the column, where the diluent in the prepared extractant have a minimum boiling azeotrope with water.

A method of converting methane to an oxygenate. The method includes converting methane to an oxygenate with a transition metal ion loaded zeolite catalyst in an aqueous medium in the presence of gaseous O.sub.2 and CO at a temperature lower than 200 C. Also disclosed are a two-metal ion zeolite catalyst for converting methane to methanol and a method for preparing the two-metal ion zeolite catalyst.