Kao Corporation

Kaoru Ohmae

Yasuki Ohtawa

Akira Matsunaga

Toshihiro Tanaka

Masato Nomura

Yukiko Tabuchi

Kai Yashiro

The present invention relates to a process for producing 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid by subjecting 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to oxidation reaction in the presence of water, oxygen and an activated carbon-supported metal catalyst containing a noble metal, the process including the following steps (1) and (2) in which the steps (1) and (2) are carried out under a pressure of not less than 0.1 MPa and less than 1.0 MPa while maintaining a reaction solution at a pH of not more than 7, and an amount of the oxygen fed until a time at which the step (2) is terminated is not less than 120 mol % and not more than 140 mol % on the basis of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural charged: step (1): conducting the oxidation reaction at a temperature of not lower than 50&#xb0; C. and not higher than 110&#xb0; C. until a content of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in the reaction solution falls within the range of not less than 0 mg/kg and not more than 1,000 mg/kg; and step (2): subjecting the reaction solution obtained after completion of the step (1) to the oxidation reaction at a temperature of not lower than 140&#xb0; C. and not higher than 250&#xb0; C.

2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid production method

The present invention relates to a process for producing an ether carboxylate which includes the steps of (1) reacting an aliphatic monohydric alcohol with an alkylene oxide in the presence of an alkali catalyst; (2) neutralizing a reaction solution obtained in the step (1) with an acid such as hydroxycarboxylic acids to obtain an ether alcohol; and (3-1) reacting the obtained ether alcohol with a monohalogenofatty acid or a salt thereof and an alkali metal hydroxide, or (3-2) subjecting the obtained ether alcohol to catalytic oxidation reaction in the presence of a catalyst. The obtained ether carboxylate has a less odor and a high quality and is therefore suitably used in the applications such as cosmetics and toiletries.

Process for production of ether carboxylates

The present invention relates to a process for producing an alkyleneoxide adduct, including the steps of reacting an aliphatic alcohol containing a hydrocarbon group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms with an alkyleneoxide in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a reaction product containing an alkyleneoxide adduct; and subjecting the reaction product successively to acid treatment and reduction treatment, and an alkyleneoxide adduct having a carbonyl value of 5 &#x3bc;mol/g or less. The alkyleneoxide adduct is useful as a raw material of various anionic surfactants, and the anionic surfactants derived from the alkyleneoxide adduct are free from undesirable coloration.

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Wakayama, Japan

Kaoru Ohmae