Process for preparing carboxylic acids by reaction of alkali metal carboxylates and liquid cation exchange agents.

摘要

A carboxylic acid is prepared by contacting an aqueous solution of the alkali metal or ammonium carboxylate with a liquid cation-exchange agent dissolved in an organic solvent in which the acid is water-immiscible. As an example, an aqueous solution of trisodium N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetate is contacted with di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid in kerosene to thereby form N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ethylenediaminetriacetic acid in the aqueous solution.