Abstract: A process for producing a polycarboxylic acid which comprises performing liquid phase oxidation of polyalkyl-substituted aromatic aldehyde and/or oxide derivative of polyalkyl-substituted aromatic aldehyde as raw material for oxidation with molecular oxygen at two stages in water solvent in the presence of a catalyst comprising bromine or both bromine and a heavy metal(s) at a temperature of 180 to 280 ° C., thereby producing trimellitic acid or pyromellitic acid, wherein said liquid phase oxidation is performed in a continuous operation at the first stage and in a continuous operation or in a batch operation at the second stage and a total amount of bromine in said catalyst is divided to add separately at each the first stage and the second stage.

Abstract: A process for producing a polycarboxylic acid which comprises performing liquid phase oxidation of polyalkyl-substituted aromatic aldehyde and/or oxide derivative of polyalkyl-substituted aromatic aldehyde as raw material for oxidation with molecular oxygen at two stages in water solvent in the presence of a catalyst comprising bromine or both bromine and a heavy metal(s) at a temperature of 180 to 280 ° C., thereby producing trimellitic acid or pyromellitic acid, wherein said liquid phase oxidation is performed in a continuous operation at the first stage and in a continuous operation or in a batch operation at the second stage and a total amount of bromine in said catalyst is divided to add separately at each the first stage and the second stage.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a plasticizer ester characterized by previously removing dissolved oxygen in a starting alcohol, and then subjecting an organic acid or its anhydride and the alcohol to an esterification reaction in the presence of an organic metal compound catalyst, which process can substantially reduce formation of coloring impurities and can easily provide a plasticizer ester having a low degree of coloring.Further, a plasticizer ester having a high volume resistivity can easily be obtained by adding an alkaline aqueous solution to a reaction product obtained by an esterification reaction to conduct neutralization of an unreacted acid and hydrolysis of the catalyst, further blowing a carbon dioxide gas to convert the residual alkali into a carbonate, recovering an excess alcohol, and then conducting purification through finefiltration using a filter aid or further in combination with adsorption treatment.