Process for the preparation of saturated, odd-numbered carboxylic acids by oxidative degradation of saturated even-numbered fatty alcohols with nitric acid

摘要

In the oxidation of saturated fatty alcohols with nitric acid, according to the prior art the carboxylic acid having the same number of C atoms is obtained as the main product and the carboxylic acid which is shorter by one C atom only in a small amount. At higher temperatures of 65 to 100@C, the carboxylic acids which are shorter by one C atom are obtained with concentrated aqueous nitric acid in an amount of at least 15 mole per mole of alcohol in high selectivity. By the addition of paraffin before the distillation, the yield can be increased and the formation of strongly exothermically reacting distillation residues can be prevented. Preparation of tridecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid and nonadecanoic acid.