Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which, in step (a), a liquid stream comprising formic acid, methanol, water and tertiary amine (I) is produced by combining methyl formate, water and tertiary amine (I), from there in step (b), methanol is separated off and in step (c), formic acid is removed by distillation from the liquid stream obtained in a distillation apparatus, wherein, when methyl formate, water and tertiary amine (I) are combined, methyl formate, water and optionally tertiary amine (I) are first introduced in step (a1) in a molar ratio of 0?n(amine to a1)/n(mefo to a1)?0.1, and from 70 to 100% of the hydrolysis equilibrium possible is set and then, in step (a2), tertiary amine (I) is introduced in a molar ratio of 0.1?n(amine to a2)/n(mefo to a1)?2, and the mixture is reacted.

Abstract: Process for preparing methyl formate by carbonylation of methanol by means of carbon monoxide in a carbonylation reactor in the presence of a catalyst system comprising alkali metal formate and alkali metal alkoxide to give a reaction mixture (RM) which comprises methyl formate, alkali metal formate, alkali metal alkoxide and possibly unreacted methanol and unreacted carbon monoxide and is taken from the carbonylation reactor, wherein the reaction mixture (RM) comprises at least 0.5% by weight of alkali metal alkoxide based on the total weight of the reaction mixture (RM) and the molar ratio of alkali metal formate to alkali metal alkoxide in the reaction mixture (RM) is greater than 1.

Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which a liquid stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I) in a molar ratio of from 0.5 to 5 is produced by combining tertiary amine (I) and a formic acid source, from 10 to 100% by weight of the secondary components present therein are separated off and formic acid is removed by distillation in a distillation apparatus at a bottom temperature of from 100 to 300° C. and a pressure of from 30 to 3000 hPa abs from the liquid stream obtained, the bottom discharge from the distillation apparatus being separated into two liquid phases and the upper liquid phase being recycled to the formic acid source and the lower liquid phase being recycled for separating off the secondary components and/or to the distillation apparatus.

Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which a liquid stream comprising formic acid and tertiary amine (I) is produced by combining tertiary amine (I) and a formic acid source, secondary components comprised therein are separated off, formic acid is removed by distillation from the resulting liquid stream in a distillation apparatus, where the bottom output from the distillation apparatus is separated into two liquid phases, and the upper liquid phase is recirculated to the formic acid source and the lower liquid phase is recirculated to the separation of the secondary components and/or to the distillation apparatus, wherein low boilers are removed by distillation from the upper liquid phase and recirculated to the depleted stream.

Abstract: A process for preparing formic acid by reaction of carbon dioxide (1) with hydrogen (2) in a hydrogenation reactor (I) in the presence of a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine comprising at least 12 carbon atoms per molecule and a polar solvent comprising one or more monoalcohols selected from among methanol, ethanol, propanols and butanols, to form formic acid/amine adducts as intermediates which are subsequently thermally dissociated, where the work-up of the output (3) from the hydrogenation reactor (I) is carried out by addition of water so as to increase the distribution coefficient of the catalyst between the upper phase (4) and the lower phase.

Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which a liquid stream comprising formic acid, tertiary amine (I) and water is produced by combining tertiary amine (I) and a formic acid source in the presence of water, water and organic decomposition products of the tertiary amine (I) are removed and formic acid is removed by distillation from the resulting liquid stream in a distillation apparatus, wherein the stream comprising water and organic decomposition products of the tertiary amine (I) which have been separated off is separated into two liquid phases, the upper liquid phase is removed and the lower, water-comprising liquid phase is recirculated to the formic acid source.

Abstract: A process for preparing formic acid by reaction of carbon dioxide (1) with hydrogen (2) in a hydrogenation reactor (I) in the presence of a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine comprising at least 12 carbon atoms per molecule and a polar solvent comprising one or more monoalcohols selected from among methanol, ethanol, propanols and butanols and also water, to form formic acid/amine adducts as intermediates which are subsequently thermally dissociated, with work-up of the output (3) from the hydrogenation reactor (I) in a plurality of process steps, where a tertiary amine-comprising stream (13) from the work-up is used as selective solvent for the catalyst, is proposed.

Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which, in step (a), a liquid stream comprising formic acid, methanol, water and tertiary amine (I) is produced by combining methyl formate, water and tertiary amine (I), from there in step (b), methanol is separated off and in step (c), formic acid is removed by distillation from the liquid stream obtained in a distillation apparatus, wherein, when methyl formate, water and tertiary amine (I) are combined, methyl formate, water and optionally tertiary amine (I) are first introduced in step (a1) in a molar ratio of 0?n(amine to a1)/n(mefo to a1)?0.1, and from 70 to 100% of the hydrolysis equilibrium possible is set and then, in step (a2), tertiary amine (I) is introduced in a molar ratio of 0.1?n(amine to a2)/n(mefo to a1)?2, and the mixture is reacted.

Abstract: Process for preparing methyl formate by carbonylation of methanol by means of carbon monoxide in a carbonylation reactor in the presence of a catalyst system comprising alkali metal formate and alkali metal alkoxide to give a reaction mixture (RM) which comprises methyl formate, alkali metal formate, alkali metal alkoxide and possibly unreacted methanol and unreacted carbon monoxide and is taken from the carbonylation reactor, wherein the reaction mixture (RM) comprises at least 0.5% by weight of alkali metal alkoxide based on the total weight of the reaction mixture (RM) and the molar ratio of alkali metal formate to alkali metal alkoxide in the reaction mixture (RM) is greater than 1.

Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which a liquid stream comprising formic acid, tertiary amine (I) and water is produced by combining tertiary amine (I) and a formic acid source in the presence of water, water and organic decomposition products of the tertiary amine (I) are removed and formic acid is removed by distillation from the resulting liquid stream in a distillation apparatus, wherein the stream comprising water and organic decomposition products of the tertiary amine (I) which have been separated off is separated into two liquid phases, the upper liquid phase is removed and the lower, water-comprising liquid phase is recirculated to the formic acid source.

Abstract: Process for preparing formic acid by hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine and a polar solvent at a pressure of from 0.2 to 30 MPa abs and a temperature of from 20 to 200° C. to form two liquid phases, separation of the two liquid phases, wherein the liquid phase (B) enriched with the tertiary amine is recirculated to the hydrogenation reactor and the formic acid/amine adduct from the liquid phase (A) enriched with the formic acid/amine adduct and the polar solvent is thermally dissociated into free formic acid and free tertiary amine in a distillation unit and the tertiary amine liberated in the dissociation and the polar solvent are recirculated to the hydrogenation reactor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing formic acid by reacting carbon dioxide (1) with hydrogen (2) in a hydrogenation reactor (I) in the presence of a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine comprising at least 12 carbon atoms per molecule and a polar solvent comprising one or more monoalcohols selected from among methanol, ethanol, propanols and butanols, to form formic acid/amine adducts as intermediates which are subsequently thermally dissociated, where a tertiary amine having a boiling point which is at least 5° C. higher than that of formic acid is used and a reaction mixture comprising the polar solvent, the formic acid/amine adducts, the tertiary amine and the catalyst is formed in the reaction in the hydrogenation reactor (I) and is discharged from the reactor as output (3).

Abstract: A process for preparing formic acid by reaction of carbon dioxide (1) with hydrogen (2) in a hydrogenation reactor (I) in the presence of a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine comprising at least 12 carbon atoms per molecule and a polar solvent comprising one or more monoalcohols selected from among methanol, ethanol, propanols and butanols, to form formic acid/amine adducts as intermediates which are subsequently thermally dissociated, where the work-up of the output (3) from the hydrogenation reactor (I) is carried out by addition of water so as to increase the distribution coefficient of the catalyst between the upper phase (4) and the lower phase.

Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which a liquid stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I) in a molar ratio of from 0.5 to 5 is produced by combining tertiary amine (I) and a formic acid source, from 10 to 100% by weight of the secondary components present therein are separated off and formic acid is removed by distillation in a distillation apparatus at a bottom temperature of from 100 to 300° C. and a pressure of from 30 to 3000 hPa abs from the liquid stream obtained, the bottom discharge from the distillation apparatus being separated into two liquid phases and the upper liquid phase being recycled to the formic acid source and the lower liquid phase being recycled for separating off the secondary components and/or to the distillation apparatus.

Abstract: A process for preparing formic acid by reaction of carbon dioxide (1) with hydrogen (2) in a hydrogenation reactor (I) in the presence of a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine comprising at least 12 carbon atoms per molecule and a polar solvent comprising one or more monoalcohols selected from among methanol, ethanol, propanols and butanols and also water, to form formic acid/amine adducts as intermediates which are subsequently thermally dissociated, with work-up of the output (3) from the hydrogenation reactor (I) in a plurality of process steps, where a tertiary amine-comprising stream (13) from the work-up is used as selective solvent for the catalyst, is proposed.

Abstract: Process for preparing formic acid by hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst comprising an element of group 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table, a tertiary amine and a polar solvent at a pressure of from 0.2 to 30 MPa abs and a temperature of from 20 to 200° C. to form two liquid phases, separation of the two liquid phases, wherein the liquid phase (B) enriched with the tertiary amine is recirculated to the hydrogenation reactor and the formic acid/amine adduct from the liquid phase (A) enriched with the formic acid/amine adduct and the polar solvent is thermally dissociated into free formic acid and free tertiary amine in a distillation unit and the tertiary amine liberated in the dissociation and the polar solvent are recirculated to the hydrogenation reactor.