Abstract:
A process for preparing acrylic acid from ethanol and formaldehyde, in which, in a reaction zone A, the ethanol is partially oxidized to acetic acid in a heterogeneously catalyzed gas phase reaction, the product gas mixture A obtained and a formaldehyde source are used to obtain a reaction gas input mixture B which comprises acetic acid and formaldehyde and has the acetic acid in excess over the formaldehyde, and the formaldehyde present in reaction gas input mixture B is aldol-condensed with acetic acid present in reaction gas input mixture B to acrylic acid under heterogeneous catalysis in a reaction zone B, and unconverted acetic acid still present along-side the acrylic acid target product in the product gas mixture B obtained is removed therefrom, and the acetic acid removed is recycled into the production of reaction gas input mixture B.
Abstract:
An aqueous solution comprising acrylic acid and the conjugate base thereof in a total amount of at least 10% by weight, based on the weight of the aqueous solution, and propionic acid and the conjugate base thereof, formic acid and the conjugate base thereof, acetic acid and the conjugate base thereof, benzoic acid and the conjugate base thereof, maleic anhydride, maleic acid and the conjugate bases thereof, phthalic anhydride, phthalic acid and the conjugate bases thereof, acrolein, benzaldehyde, 2-furaldehyde, and at least 20 mol % of at least one alkali metal cation; process for preparing this solution; and the use of this solution for preparation of polymer by free-radical polymerization.