Acetic Acid → Terephthalic Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

To 25 milliliters of acetic acid were added 1.06 grams (10 millimoles) of p-xylene, 0.16 gram (1 millimole) of N-hydroxyphthalimide and 0.018 gram (0.05 millimole) of acetylacetonatocobalt(II) Co(AA)2, and the resultant mixture was stirred in an oxygen atmosphere at a temperature of 100° C. for 12 hours. With a transformation rate of 99 percent, p-xylene was transformed into terephthalic acid (yield 70%) and p-methylbenzoic acid (yield 27%).

Provenance & Evidence