Low-temperature oxidation of p-xylene in liquid phase using acetaldehyde as accelerator. I. Stirred tank reactor

The oxidation of p-xylene in the presence of acetaldehyde as accelerator and cobalt acetate as catalyst at 60–100° was studied using a semi-batch process in a stirred reactor. Better yields of terephthalic acid (up to 98%) were given than with other methods although the operation was similar. Diffusion was the rate-determining step, and possibilities for improving reaction rate are discussed.