PURPOSE: To produce the titled compounds in high purity and yield, by oxidizing p-t-butyltoluene with molecular oxygen under specific condition, separating the reaction product liquid into layers with water, separating the titled aldehyde from he oily layer by distillation, and separating the titled benzoic acid derivative from the residue by crystallization.
CONSTITUTION: p-t-Butyltoluene is oxidized with an O2-containing gas in acetic acid solvent in the presence of a catalyst containing a cobalt compound and a bromine compound, and the reaction product liquid is added with water in an amount to cause the phase separation. The upper layer composed mainly of an oily component is distilled to obtain the fraction composed mainly of p-t-butylbenzaldehyde, and the distillation residue is mixed with the above raw material and cooled to crystallize p-t-butylbenzoic acid, which is separated by the solid-liquid separation. The above aldehyde and benzoic acid derivative useful as intermediates of pharmaceuticals, etc. can be oxidized in high selectivity, and the products can be separated from each other high yield and purity.
OOTOMO SHIGERU
NAKAOKA KENJI
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