PRODUCTION OF NAPHTHALENEDICARBOXYLIC ACID DIESTER

摘要

PURPOSE:To produce a naphthalenedicarboxylic acid diester from naphthalenedicarboxylic acid containing impurities. CONSTITUTION:A method for producing a naphthalenedicarboxylic acid diester comprises esterifying naphthalenedicarboxylic acid containing heavy metals with an alcohol in the presence of an aromatic sulfonic acid and a mineral acid as esterification catalysts, the crude naphthalenedicarboxylic acid being obtained by oxidizing a dialkylnaphthalene or its oxidation derivative with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in a solution of a catalyst containing at least one kind of heavy metal selected from manganese and cobalt and bromine in a solvent containing a lower fatty acid. By the method, the naphthalenedicarboxylic acid diester can be obtained in a high yield without using the aromatic sulfonic acid in a large amount as the esterification catalyst.