Preparation of Lower Fatty Acids by the Liquid Phase Air Oxidation of Petroleum Naphthas Effect of Sulfur Compound in Raw Materials, Accumulation of Peroxides, etc

• Published in: Journal of The Japan Petroleum Institute Vol. 6; no. 8; pp. 611 - 614
• Main Authors: Yamaguchi, Tatsuya, Sunaoka, Kiyoshi, Ohta, Nobuto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japan Petroleum Institute 1963
• ISSN: 0582-4664
• DOI: 10.1627/jpi1958.6.611

In order to establish the fundamental knowledge which is required in the process of preparing lower fatty acids by the liquid phase air oxidation of petroleum naphtha on commercial basis, the authors made some studies and obtained the following results. The reaction was carried out in batch, under pressure. 1. The existence of sulfur compound up to 0.07% did not obstruct the oxidizability of naphtha and the producibility of lower fatty acids. 2. Peroxide concentration in the reaction liquid was studied under the condition of 160°C, 40atm•g by adding manganese or cobalt naphthenate catalyst, (0.1wt% as metal). The peroxide concentration was always richer in aqueous layer than oil layer, and the maximum value was 0.04mol⁄100g with Mn catalyst and 0.008mol⁄100g with Co catalyst. Remarkable peroxide accumulation was not observed even when the temperature was lowered to 130°C. 3. If the types of naphtha and catalyst composition were the same, hydrocarbon conversion was readily estimated from the acid value in the aqueous layer. 4. A substance which delays active radical formation was existed in above 130°C fraction of oil layer of reaction liquid. Because of this retardor, the induction period was much prolonged in re-oxidation of the oil layer. However, the retardor could be easily removed by distillation.