PROCESS FOR OXIDATION OF METHANE TO ACETIC ACID

摘要

Acetic acid is produced by oxidation of methane with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an acid selected from an acid selected from concentrated sulfuric acid and fuming sulfuric acid, a palladium-containing catalyst and a promoter, preferably a copper or iron salt. The addition of a promoter and O<SUB>2</SUB> to a system that includes a palladium-containing catalyst such as PdCl<SUB>2</SUB> increases the rate of acetic acid formation from methane by more than an order of magnitude as compared with prior art and, in addition, inhibits the precipitation of Pd black.