Oxfa Gmbh

Florian Kohler

Hermann Wolf Jbach

Matthias Schmidt

Gunthard Scholz

Martin Dirauf

The invention relates to a method for separating formic acid from a reaction mixture by means of extraction, wherein, in addition to the formic acid, the reaction mixture comprises a polyoxometalate ion of general formula [PMoVO]as a catalyst and a solvent that dissolves the catalyst, wherein 6&#x2264;x&#x2264;11, 1&#x2264;6, x+y=12 and 3&#x3c;n&#x3c;10, wherein n, x, and y are each a whole number, wherein the separation occurs via extraction by means of a polar organic extraction agent which extracts the formic acid and the catalyst and which is N-(n-hexadecyl)formamide, N-di-n-acetamide or an N,N-dialkylcarboxamide, wherein the N,N-dialkylcarboxamide forms a phase boundary between the solvent and the extraction agent during mixing with the solvent.

Method for separating formic acid from a reaction mixture by means of extraction

The invention relates to catalytically producing formic acid and regenerating the catalyst used in the process. A vanadyl ion, vandate ion, or polyoxometallate ion, which is used as the catalyst, of the general formula [PMoVO]is brought into contact with an alpha hydroxyl aldehyde, an alpha hydroxy carboxylic acid, a carbohydrate, a glycoside, or a polymer, which contains a carbon chain and which comprises at least two OH groups bonded as substituents to the carbon chain as a substituent in a repeating manner and/or an O, N, or S atom contained in the carbon chain in a repeating manner, in a liquid solution () in a vessel () at a temperature above 70&#xb0; C. and below 160&#xb0; C., wherein 6&#x2264;x&#x2264;11, 1&#x2264;y&#x2264;6, 3&#x3c;n&#x3c;10, and x+y=12, where n, x, and y is each a whole number.

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Nuremberg, Germany

Florian Kohler