To provide a method for selectively producing benzoic acid in a high yield, capable of inhibiting the generation of by-product, tar components by bringing toluene into contact with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a cobalt-containing transition metal catalyst, and setting the reaction temperature and the concentration of the oxygen to a prescribed temperature and a prescribed concentration, respectively.
This method for producing benzoic acid comprises bringing toluene into contact with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a cobalt-containing transition metal catalyst in a liquid phase. Therein, the reaction temperature is 100-170°C, and the concentration of oxygen in the molecular oxygen-containing gas is 22-40vol%. The oxidation catalyst contains a cobalt compound in a cobalt concentration of 10-1,000wt.ppm based on the reaction mixture. The reaction temperature is preferably 130-170°C. The blowing gas is preferably inexpensive air, especially air enriched with oxygen gas to give an oxygen concentration of 25-30vol%.
UEDA SHINGO
IMAMURA TAKAHIRO
SEGAWA KYOHEI
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