Preparation of glyoxal from ethylene glycol

摘要

A process for the preparation of glyoxal by vapor phase oxidation of ethylene glycol with oxygen over a copper-containing oxidation catalyst at an elevated temperature and in the presence of a phosphorus compound which is volatile under the reaction conditions, the amount of phosphorus (calculated as P) being from 1 to 100 ppm, based on the weight of ethylene glycol.