FLEXIBLE PROCESS FOR THE JOINT PREPARATION OF (I) FORMIC ACID, (II) A CARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING AT LEAST TWO CARBON ATOMS AND/OR DERIVATIVES THEREOF AND (III) A CARBOXYLIC ANHYDRIDE

摘要

PROCESS FOR THE JOINT PREPARATION OF @(I) FORMIC ACID (III);(II) A CARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING AT LEAST TWO CARBON ATOMS (II) AND/OR DERIVATIVES THEREOF; AND (III) A CARBOXYLIC ANHYDRIDE (VII),WHICH COMPRISES (A) TRANSESTERIFYING A FORMIC ESTER (I) WITH A CARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING AT LEAST TWO CARBON ATOMS (II) TO FORM FORMIC ACID (III) AND THE CORRESPONDING CARBOXYLIC ESTER (IV);(B) CARBONYLATING AT LEAST PART OF THE CARBOXYLIC ESTER (IV) FORMED IN STEP (A) TO FORM THE CORRESPONDING CARBOXYLIC ANHYDRIDE (V); AND(C) TRANSANHYDRIDING AT LEAST PART OF THE CARBOXYLIC ANHYDRIDE (V) FORMED IN STEP (B) WITH A CARBOXYLIC ACID (VI) TO FORM A CARBOXYLIC ANHYDRIDE (VII) AND THE CARBOXYLIC ACID (II).