Abstract: Method of producing a total product are described. A method includes providing a feed and a supported inorganic salt catalyst to a contacting zone. Contact of the supported inorganic salt catalyst with the feed in the presence of a hydrogen source and steam in the contacting zone at a temperature of at most 1000° C. and a total operating pressure of at most 4 MPa produces the total product.

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 process for disproportionation of potassium naphthoate to the dipotassium salt of 2,6-NDA which gives reproducible improved yields of up to 40% which comprises: a) reacting naphthoic acid in the presence of excess base to produce a disproportionation feed comprising a finely dispersed disordered salt mixture of excess base salts and naphthoic acid salts, wherein the feed is prepared by the steps of: (1) Reacting naphthoic acid in the presence of excess base selected from the group consisting of carbonates and bicarbonates to form a salt; (2) Drying said salt mixture by a method which forms a highly mixed disordered salt mixture characterized by a differential scanning calorimeter(DSC) signature characterized by low melting peaks not previously observed in the salt; and b) Disproportionating said solid salts in the presence of a disproportionation catalyst to form the dipotassium salts of 2,6-NDA.

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 process for manufacturing an aromatic diacid in one step with a single catalyst system which comprises: a) Introducing into a reactor an aromatic hydrocarbon containing the number of rings desired in the product diacid with one or more alkyl groups attached to the rings; b) Reacting said aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an oxidant supply and a single catalyst system comprising at least one catalyst selected from Group IB, IIB, VB, or VIIB of the Periodic Table, in a reaction medium capable of stabilizing the aromatic acids formed against further oxidation to water and CO2, or decarboxylation to aromatic hydrocarbons, and also capable of allowing the isomerization of the acids so formed to the desired diacids; and c) Reacting said hydrocarbon feed with said oxidant in the presence of said catalyst system until a desired amount of said feed is oxidized to carboxylic acids and isomerized to the desired diacid product.

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: An oxidation free process for converting a hydroxy substituted aromatic to an aromatic diacid which comprises reacting a hydroxy substituted aromatic with excess basic salt in the presence of carbon dioxide at disproportionation/isomerization reaction conditions.