CONTROLLED OXIDATION OF HYDROCARBONS TO INTERMEDIATE OXIDATION PRODUCTS

摘要

This invention relates to methods of controlling the oxidation of hydrocarbons to respective intermediate oxidation products, e.g., dibasic acids, by adjusting the bulk temperature of the liquid mixture under oxidation by a cooling element, the temperature of which is maintained above a temperature at which solids deposit on the element or a second liquid phase is formed on the element, and/or by maintaining the oxygen concentration in the condenser off-gases to a level preferably lower than 90 % by volume of the flammable oxygen concentration, and/or by feeding oxygen and inert gas (preferably nitrogen) in the reaction zone, the inert gas and the oxygen having a ratio of inert gas to oxygen in the range of preferably 1:5 to 1:200. This invention is particularly applicable in the case of direct oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid.