Process for producing methyl ethyl ketone

摘要

A process for producing methyl ethyl ketone selectively and with a high yield by oxygen-oxidizing 1-butene under mild conditions is provided, which process is characterized by using a composite catalyst containing a complex (MmXn.Ll) capable of forming an oxygen complex by coordination of the complex with oxygen and a complex catalyst (M'm'Xn'.L'l') capable of forming a 1-butene complex by coordination of the complex with 1-butene, wherein M represents a specified transition metal such as Cu; X, an anion; L, an organic phosphorus compound as ligand; M', a specified transition metal such as palladium; L', a nitrile, organic fluorine or phosphorus compound as ligand; m, m', n and n', each a number determined by the valences of the transition metals and the anion; l and l', each the number of ligands.