Preparation of phthalic anhydride

摘要

Process for preparing phthalic anhydride by gas-phase oxidation of xylene, naphthalene or mixtures thereof in a shell-and-tube reactor thermostatted by means of a heat transfer medium over three or more different fixed-bed catalysts arranged in zones, wherein the process is carried out so that the maximum temperature in the second catalyst zone in the flow direction is up to 50° C. lower than the maximum temperature in the first catalyst zone and the maximum temperature in the third zone from the gas inlet is from 30 to 100° C. lower than that in the first catalyst zone. The process of the present invention makes it possible to prepare phthalic anhydride in high yields under industrially relevant conditions.