PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HIGH-QUALITY TEREPHTHALIC ACID SUIT-ABLE FOR USE IN DIRECT POLYMERIZATION

摘要

A process for producing terephthalic acid of high quality suitable for use in direct polymerization comprising oxidizing a para-dialkylbenzene and/or an oxidized intermediate thereof in the liquid phase with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an oxidation catalyst containing a heavy metal in a lower aliphatic carboxylic acid solvent, the reaction being carried out in the presence of a specified amount of a phenol. Polyesters prepared from the resulting terephthalic acid have good color.