Published March 1965
This report covers the manufacture of adipic acid by processes in which it is the principal product, The processes and cost of production of adipic acid as a by-product of caprolactam manufacture or other processes are not considered. The technology of the production of intermediates by some routes is common to both adipic acid and caprolactam manufacture. In this report, the conversion of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone is discussed as part of one possible route to adipic acid and the conversion is limited to producing an equimolar mixture of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone; alternative routes for this conversion are not discussed here, as this is more pertinent to the caprolactam process which will be treated in a future study. The following processes are reviewed in this study:
From Cyclohexane:
- Air Oxidation + Nitric Acid oxidation
- Air oxidation (with H3BO3)+ Nitric Acid Oxidation
- Air Oxidation + Air Oxidation of KA
- Air Oxidation (with H3BO3)+ Dehydrogenation + Air
- Oxidation of KA
- From Phenol:
- Phenol Hydrogenation + Nitric Acid Oxidation
