Process for producing highly purified acetic acid.

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for producing a highly purified acetic acid, which contains reducing substances in trace amounts and exhibits a satisfactory result in the permanganate reducing substance test, comprising the step of continuously reacting an aqueous solution of methanol and/or methyl acetate with carbon monoxide in a reactor, the step of continuously withdrawing a reaction fluid from the reactor and the step of evaporating the withdrawn reaction fluid in an evaporator to thereby obtain vaporous components containing acetic acid and distilling the vaporous components in a distillation column while withdrawing an overhead from the distillation column at its top, characterized in that the overhead is treated with ozone.