Abstract: Disclosed is a process for purifying 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid produced by disproportionation and more efficiently recycling byproduct dipotassium salts which includes the steps of: a) Contacting an aqueous solution containing the disalt of 2,6-NDA(2,6-K2NDA) with carbon dioxide to form as a precipitate the monopotassium salt of 2,6-NDA (KHNDA) and an aqueous solution containing 2,3-KHNDA, K2NDA, and potassium bicarbonate; b) Disproportionating said monopotassium salt (KHNDA) to form 2,6-NDA and an aqueous solution containing K2NDA, and potassium bicarbonate; c) Separating said 2,6-NDA and concentrating said aqueous solution containing K2NDA and potassium bicarbonate by reverse osmosis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for selective carboxylation of naphthoic acid, or other aromatic mono-acids to form primarily 2,3-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid (2,3-NDA) or other aromatic diacids which comprises reacting said aromatic mono-acid in the presence of one or more metal oxide catalysts, alone, or in combination, and in the presence of about 0.2 to 0.8 moles excess of base over aromatic mono-acid, at a temperature of about 380° C. to about 420° C., and, in a second step, disproportionating the product of said selective carboxylation at a temperature above about 420° C. to form a product with a greatly improved yield of 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, or other aromatic dicarboxylic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated process for producing 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylicacid comprising oxidizing a methylnaphthalene feedstock, hydrodebrominating the crude naphthoic acid product under conditions different from any work known in the art, forming a potassium salt of the acid; disproportionating the potassium salt to produce 2,6 potassium salts of NDA; selectively precipitating K2NDA; selectively precipitating the monopotassium salt of 2,6 NDA(KHNDA); disproportionating the KHNDA into 2,6 NDA and K2NDA; further reacting the 2,6 NDA in a pipe reactor; and drying the product 2,6 NDA by conventional means or directly slurrying directly into a PEN process. The process can tolerate impurities in the economical methylnaphthalene feed and the resulting 2,6 NDA is of high quality with <50 ppm potassium.

Abstract: Disclosed are halide-free catalyst compositions for the disproportionation/isomerization of aromatic carboxylic acid salts. In one embodiment the catalyst comprises a mixed catalyst of compounds of copper, zinc, and zirconium; and, in a second embodiment, the catalyst comprises a copper compound treated with a base, optionally used with a promoter. Both halide-free catalysts provide advantages with respect to metallurgic problems, as well as good stability, activity and selectivity, and the later is faster kinetically at lower temperatures.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for purifying 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid produced by disproportionation and more efficiently recycling byproduct dipotassium salts which includes the steps of:

Abstract: A method is provided to produce dicarboxylic or tricarboxylic aromatic acid from salts of such acids, the method including the steps of providing an aqueous solution of a salt of a dicarboxylic or tricarboxylic aromatic acid, the aqueous solution having a pH of about 7 or greater; contacting the aqueous solution with sufficient carbon dioxide to lower the pH of the aqueous solution resulting in precipitation of at least a portion of the dicarboxylic or tricarboxylic aromatic acid; separating precipitated dicarboxylic or tricarboxylic aromatic acid from the solution; and recovering carbon dioxide from the solution.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for selective carboxylation of naphthoic acid, or other aromatic mono-acids to form primarily 2,3-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid (2,3-NDA) or other aromatic diacids which comprises reacting said aromatic mono-acid in the presence of one or more metal oxide catalysts, alone, or in combination, and in the presence of about 0.2 to 0.8 moles excess of base over aromatic mono-acid, at a temperature of about 380° C. to about 420° C., and, in a second step, disproportionating the product of said selective carboxylation at a temperature above about 420° C. to form a product with a greatly improved yield of 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, or other aromatic dicarboxylic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of increasing the yield of 2,6-NDA which comprises: a) Dissolving a disproportionation reaction product containing a dialkali salt of 2,6-NDA in water and filtering off insoluble matter from the resulting solution; b) Precipitating the monoalkali salt of 2,6-NDA (KHNDA) with CO2; c) Suspending said monoalkali salt in water in a weight ratio higher than 8:1, water: monosalt; and d) Heating at a temperature above 100° C. and at a pressure above 100 psig. The improvements in yield are from about 20% to as high as 45%.