PURPOSE: To obtain the title compound in high purity and inexpensively, by oxidation in the liquid phase, of an alkyl-substituted aromatic compound, in a solvent of a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid, in the presence of a heavy metal catalyst, a nonaromatic hydrocarbon, and a bromine compound, and by making up for the combustion loss of the solvent.
CONSTITUTION: An aromatic compound, e.g. p-xylene, having two or more alkyl substituents, is oxidized in the liquid phase with molecular oxygen in a solvent of a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid, in the presence of a heavy metal catalyst, a nonaromatic hydrocarbon (A) and a bromine compound (B). (A) is a 4W10C aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon, naphtha, its cracking products or catalytic reformate, etc., in an amount of 0.01W10 gram atoms of carbon based on one mole of the raw material.(B) is used as bromine in an amount of 1×10-5W2 gram atoms based on one gram atom of carbon in (A).
KITAMURA TAKEHIKO
KOJIMA MASAHIRO
