Process for oxidizing alkyl aromatic compounds

1. A process for oxidizing an alkyl-aromatic compound comprising:

forming a first mixture comprising the alkyl-aromatic compound, a solvent, a bromine source, and a catalyst;

contacting the first mixture with an oxidizing agent at oxidizing conditions to produce a solid oxidation product comprising at least one of an aromatic aldehyde, an aromatic alcohol, an aromatic ketone, and an aromatic carboxylic acid;

wherein the solvent comprises a carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms and an ionic liquid selected from the group consisting of an imidazolium ionic liquid, a pyridinium ionic liquid, a phosphonium ionic liquid, a tetra alkyl ammonium ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and the catalyst comprises at least one of cobalt, titanium, manganese, chromium, copper, nickel, vanadium, iron, molybdenum, tin, cerium, and zirconium;

forming a second mixture comprising a portion of the alkyl-aromatic compound, a second solvent comprising a second carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms, a second bromine source, and a second catalyst comprising at least one of cobalt, titanium, manganese, chromium, copper, nickel, vanadium, iron, molybdenum, tin, cerium, and zirconium;

contacting the second mixture with a second oxidizing agent at second oxidizing conditions to produce a second solid oxidation product comprising at least one of a second aromatic aldehyde, a second aromatic alcohol, a second aromatic ketone, and a second aromatic carboxylic acid; optionally, the second solvent further comprises a second ionic liquid selected from the group consisting of an imidazolium ionic liquid, a pyridinium ionic liquid, a phosphonium ionic liquid, a tetra alkyl ammonium ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and

wherein the amounts of various contaminants in the solid oxidation product can be controlled.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the first mixture further comprises water.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the carboxylic acid comprises acetic acid.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkyl-aromatic compound is selected from the group consisting of toluene, para-xylene, ortho-xylene, and meta-xylene.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing agent is a gas comprising oxygen.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the solvent has a ratio of ionic liquid to carboxylic acid ranging from about 1:10 to about 10:1 by weight.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing conditions comprise a temperature ranging from about 125° C. to about 275° C.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing conditions comprise a pressure ranging from about 0 MPa(g) to about 6 MPa(g).

9. The process of claim 1 wherein a ratio of the solvent to the alkyl-aromatic compound ranges from about 1.5:1 to about 6:1 by weight.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein an anion of the ionic liquid is selected from the group consisting of halides, acetate, carboxylates, and combinations thereof.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the ionic liquid is an imidazolium ionic liquid comprising a cation selected from the group consisting of alkyl imidazolium, di-alkyl imidazolium, and combinations thereof.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises cobalt and manganese.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidation product comprises an aromatic carboxylic acid.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein the contacting step further produces a mother liquor.

15. The process of claim 1 further comprising purifying the solid oxidation product.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein the bromine source is at least one of HBr, NaBr, KBr, NH4Br, benzylbromide, mono-bromoacetic acid, di-bromoacetic acid, bromoacetyl bromide, tetrabromoethane, and ethylene di-bromide.

17. A process for oxidizing an alkyl-aromatic compound comprising:

forming a mixture comprising the alkyl-aromatic compound, a solvent, a bromine source, and a catalyst;

contacting the mixture with an oxidizing agent at oxidizing conditions to produce mother liquer and a solid oxidation product comprising at least one of an aromatic aldehyde, an aromatic alcohol, an aromatic ketone, and an aromatic carboxylic acid;

wherein the solvent comprises a carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms and an ionic liquid selected from the group consisting of an imidazolium ionic liquid, a pyridinium ionic liquid, a phosphonium ionic liquid, a tetra alkyl ammonium ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and the catalyst comprises at least one of cobalt, titanium, manganese, chromium, copper, nickel, vanadium, iron, molybdenum, tin, cerium, and zirconium;

separating the solid oxidation product from the mother liquor;

contacting the separated solid oxidation product with a second solvent at solvent contacting conditions including a second temperature to produce a purified solid oxidation product;

separating the purified solid oxidation product from the second solvent, washing and drying the purified solid oxidation product to produce a final purified oxidation product; and

wherein the amounts of various contaminants in the solid oxidation product can be controlled.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein the second solvent is selected from the group consisting of the mother liquor, a carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms, an ionic liquid, water, and combinations thereof wherein the ionic liquid is selected from the group consisting of an imidazolium ionic liquid, a pyridinium ionic liquid, a phosphonium ionic liquid, a tetra alkyl ammonium ionic liquid, and combinations thereof.