Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

Asad Ali Khan

Boyapati Manoranjan Choudary

Mannepalli Lakshmi Kantam

Kottapalli Koteswara Rao

Thella Prathap Kumar

Kantarao Naik

Pentlavally Sreekanth

The present invention relates to an improved process for the production of benzaldehyde with 40-50% selectivity comprising by catalytic liquid phase air oxidation of toluene. The process involves providing a continuous flow of air in the presence of a catalyst such as salts of Fe, Co, Mo and Ni, and preferably a co-catalyst such as salts of manganese or copper, a promoter which may also be a bromine source, and a carboxylic acid solvent selected from the group consisting of acetic, propionic, benzoic acids ranging between 0.05 to 0.3 wt. times with respect to toluene, at a temperature ranging between 60-130&deg; C. and pressures in the range of 1-10 bars for a period of 0.5-1.5 hours to obtain benzaldehyde (40-50%) along with other by-products.

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Andhra Pradesh, India

Asad Ali Khan