Title: Reaction systems for making N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine compounds
Abstract: This invention generally relates to liquid phase oxidation processes for making N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (also known in the agricultural chemical industry as glyphosate) and related compounds. This invention, for example, particularly relates to processes wherein an N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (NPMIDA) substrate (i.e., N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid, a salt of N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid, or an ester of N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid) is continuously oxidized to form an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product (i.e., N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, a salt of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, or an ester of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine). This invention also, for example, particularly relates to processes wherein an N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate is oxidized to form an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product, which, in turn, is crystallized (at least in part) in an adiabatic crystallizer.
Patent Number: 7,015,351 Issued on 03/21/2006 to Haupfear, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Haupfear; Eric (O'Fallon, MO);
Heise; Jerald D. (St. Louis, MO);
Jorgenson; Amy L. (Richmond Heights, MO);
Rogers; Michael (Maryland Heights, MO);
Chien; Henry (St. Louis, MO);
Casanova; Eduardo (Chesterfield, MO);
Hooper; William (St. Louis, MO);
Scholle; William (St. Louis, MO);
Arhancet; Juan (Creve Coeur, MO);
Leiber; Mark A. (St. Peters, MO);
Wittler, legal representative; Karen A. (Muscatine, IA)
|
| Assignee:
|
Monsanto Technology LLC (St. Louis, MO)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
863885 |
| Filed:
|
May 22, 2001 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
562/17 |
| Current Intern'l Class: |
C07F 9/28 (20060101) |
| Field of Search: |
562/17
|
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|
Primary Examiner: Zucker; Paul A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Senniger Powers, Schaper; Joseph A.
Parent Case Text
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No.
60/206,562, filed May 22, 2000, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/220,140,
filed Jul. 21, 2000, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/230,240, filed
Sep. 1, 2000, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
We claim:
1. A process for making an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product, the process comprising:
introducing an aqueous feed stream comprising an N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate into an oxidation reactor system;
oxidizing N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate in the oxidation reactor
system in the presence of an oxidation catalyst to produce a reaction product solution
comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product;
dividing the reaction product solution into plural fractions comprising a primary
fraction and a secondary fraction;
cooling the primary fraction as water is evaporated from the primary fraction
under substantially adiabatic conditions by reducing the pressure to precipitate
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals from the primary fraction to produce
a primary product slurry comprising precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product
crystals and a primary mother liquor; and
precipitating N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals from an aqueous secondary
crystallization feed mixture comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product contained
in said secondary fraction to produce a secondary product slurry comprising precipitated
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals and a secondary mother liquor.
2. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein water is evaporated from the aqueous
secondary crystallization feed mixture to precipitate N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product crystals from the aqueous secondary crystallization feed mixture.
3. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the evaporation cools the primary
fraction to a temperature of from about 45° C. to about 80° C.
4. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein from about 5% to about 30% by
weight of the primary fraction is evaporated.
5. The process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising decanting primary mother
liquor from the precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals in the
primary product slurry.
6. The process as set forth in claim 5 further comprising recycling primary mother
liquor decanted from the precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals
in the primary product slurry to the oxidation reactor system for use as a source
of process water.
7. The process as set forth in claim 6 wherein substantially all the primary
mother liquor decanted from the precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product
crystals in the primary product slurry is recycled to the oxidation reactor system.
8. The process as set forth in claim 6 wherein the oxidation catalyst comprises
a heterogenous catalyst comprising a noble metal deposited on a carbon support.
9. The process as set forth in claim 8 wherein the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate is oxidized in a liquid reaction medium in contact with the oxidation
catalyst and the chloride ion concentration in the liquid reaction medium is maintained
at no greater than about 500 ppm by weight.
10. The process as set forth in claim 9 wherein the chloride ion concentration
in the liquid reaction medium is maintained at no greater than 300 ppm by weight.
11. The process as set forth in claim 10 wherein the chloride ion concentration
in the liquid reaction medium is maintained at no greater than 100 ppm by weight.
12. The process as set forth in claim 9 wherein a source of the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate is used to prepare the aqueous feed stream introduced into the reactor
system and the concentration of chloride ion in the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate source is less than about 5000 ppm by weight on a dry basis.
13. The process as set forth in claim 12 wherein the concentration of chloride
ion in the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate source is less than
about 3000 ppm by weight on a dry basis.
14. The process as set forth in claim 13 wherein the concentration of chloride
ion in the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate source is less than
about 2000 ppm by weight on a dry basis.
15. The process as set forth in claim 14 wherein the concentration of chloride
ion in the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate source is less than
about 1000 ppm by weight on a dry basis.
16. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the process further comprises
purging secondary mother liquor for removal of by-products and impurities from
the process.
17. The process as set forth in claim 16 wherein substantially all the secondary
mother liquor is purged from the process.
18. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the primary fraction is from
about 30% to about 85% of the reaction product solution.
19. The process as set forth in claim 18 wherein the primary fraction is from
about 50% to about 80% of the reaction product solution.
20. The process as set forth in claim 19 wherein the primary fraction is from
about 65% to about 75% of the reaction product solution.
21. The process as set forth in claim 18 wherein the reactor system comprises
a first and a second oxidation reaction zone in series;
the aqueous feed stream is introduced into the first oxidation reaction zone;
N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate is continuously oxidized in the
first oxidation reaction zone to produce an intermediate reaction mixture comprising
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product and unreacted N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate;
an intermediate aqueous feed stream is introduced into the second oxidation reaction
zone, the intermediate aqueous feed stream comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product obtained in the intermediate reaction mixture and unreacted N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate;
N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate is continuously oxidized in the
second oxidation reaction zone to produce the reaction product solution comprising
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product; and
the reaction product solution is divided into plural fractions comprising the
primary and secondary fractions.
22. The process as set forth in claim 21 wherein the oxidation catalyst is in
contact with a liquid reaction medium in each of the oxidation reaction zones.
23. The process as set forth in claim 22 wherein the oxidation catalyst comprises
a heterogenous particulate catalyst.
24. The process as set forth in claim 23 wherein the heterogeneous particulate
catalyst comprises a noble metal deposited on a particulate carbon support.
25. The process of claim 1 wherein evaporative cooling of said primary fraction comprises:
introducing an aqueous evaporation feed mixture into an evaporation zone, said
aqueous feed mixture comprising said primary fraction;
evaporating water from said aqueous evaporation feed mixture in said evaporation
zone in the presence of solid particulate N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product, thereby
producing a vapor phase comprising water vapor, precipitating N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product from the aqueous liquid phase, and producing an evaporation product comprising
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product solids and a primary mother liquor that is substantially
saturated or supersaturated in N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product; and
maintaining a ratio of particulate N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product solids
to primary mother liquor in said evaporation zone which exceeds the ratio of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product solids incrementally produced by the effects of evaporation to mother liquor
incrementally produced thereby.
26. The process as set forth in claim 25 wherein said evaporation product is
divided to provide an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product solids fraction that is
relatively depleted in mother liquor and a primary mother liquor fraction that
is relatively depleted in N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product solids.
27. The process as set forth in claim 26 wherein maintaining said ratio of particulate
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product solids to mother liquor in said evaporation
zone comprises returning solids obtained in said solids fraction to said evaporation
zone or retaining solids obtained in said solid fraction within said zone.
28. The process as set forth in claim 27 comprising:
introducing the aqueous evaporation feed mixture comprising said primary fraction
into a vapor/liquid separation zone of said evaporation zone wherein the pressure
is below the vapor pressure of said mixture, thereby allowing water to flash from
the evaporation feed mixture, producing said vapor phase comprising water vapor,
and precipitating N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product from the aqueous liquid phase
to produce a first slurry stream comprising particulate N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product in a saturated or supersaturated mother liquor;
separating said vapor phase from said first slurry stream;
introducing said first slurry stream into a retention zone in which a supernatant
liquid comprising a fraction of said mother liquor is separated from a second slurry
stream comprising precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product and mother liquor,
said retention zone having an inlet for said first slurry, a decantation liquid
exit for said supernatant liquid spaced above said inlet, and an exit for said
second slurry spaced above said inlet but below said decantation liquid exit; and
maintaining the relative rates at which said first slurry is introduced into
said retention zone, said second slurry is drawn off through said second slurry
exit and said supernatant liquid is drawn off through said decantation liquid exit
such that the upward flow velocity in a lower region of said retention zone below
said second slurry exit is sufficient to maintain precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product in suspension in the liquid phase while the upward flow velocity in an
upper region of said retention zone above said second slurry exit is below the
sedimentation velocity of at least 80% by weight of the N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product particles in said lower region.
29. The process as set forth in claim 28 wherein at least a portion of said second
slurry stream is recirculated to said vapor/liquid separation zone.
30. The process as set forth in claim 29 wherein at least a portion of said second
slurry stream and said primary fraction together comprise the aqueous evaporation
feed mixture introduced into said vapor/liquid separation zone.
31. The process as set forth in claim 30 wherein a third slurry stream is removed
from said lower region of said zone.
32. The process as set forth in claim 31 wherein the relative rates of the flow
of said primary fraction to said vapor/liquid separation zone, recirculation of
all or part of said second slurry stream to said vapor/liquid separation zone,
withdrawal of said supernatant liquid from said decantation liquid exit, withdrawal
of said third slurry stream from said lower region of said retention zone, and
return to said evaporation zone of any liquid or solids bearing streams from any
solids/liquid separations to which said third slurry may be subjected, are sufficient
to establish a ratio of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product solids to mother liquor
in said lower region of said zone that is higher than the ratio of precipitated
solid N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product incrementally produced by the effects
of evaporation of said primary fraction to mother liquor incrementally produced thereby.
33. The process as set forth in claim 32 wherein the relative flow rates of said
streams are controlled so that the N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product solids concentration
in said lower region of said zone is at least about twice the concentration of
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product solids in the mixture of such solids and mother
liquor that is or would be produced by flashing of said primary fraction in said
vapor/liquid zone in the absence of said recirculated second slurry stream.
34. The process as set forth in claim 33 wherein solids are removed from said
third slurry to produce a recycle liquid fraction which is recirculated to said
vapor/liquid separation zone, whereby said aqueous evaporation feed mixture further
comprises said recycle liquid fraction.
35. The process as set forth in claim 34 wherein both said primary fraction and
said recycle liquid fraction are mixed with said second slurry stream prior to
introduction into said vapor/liquid separation zone.
36. The process as set forth in claim 21 wherein said secondary fraction is introduced
into a secondary reactor system comprising a tertiary oxidation reaction zone,
unreacted N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate contained in said secondary
fraction being converted to N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product in said tertiary
oxidation reaction zone to produce a tertiary oxidation reaction mixture, said
secondary crystallization feed mixture comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product
contained in said tertiary oxidation reaction mixture.
37. The process as set forth in claim 35 wherein the relative flow rates of all
of said streams, including said recycle liquid fraction, are controlled so that
the solids content of the slurry in said lower region of said zone is at least
about 12% by weight.
38. The process as set forth in claim 18 further comprising decanting primary
mother liquor from the precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals
in the primary product slurry.
39. The process as set forth in claim 38 further comprising recycling primary
mother liquor to said oxidation reactor system for use as a source of water.
40. The process as set forth in claim 18 further comprising purging secondary
mother liquor for removal of by-products and impurities from the process.
41. The process as set forth in claim 18 wherein said oxidation reactor system
comprises a series of at least two continuous oxidation reaction zones, the process
further comprising:
separating the oxidation catalyst from reaction product solution; and
continuously recycling the separated oxidation catalyst to at least one of the
oxidation reaction zones.
42. A process for making an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product, the process comprising:
introducing an aaueous feed stream comprising an N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate into an oxidation reactor system;
oxidizing the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate in the oxidation
reactor system in the presence of an oxidation catalyst to produce a reaction product
solution containing N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product;
cooling the reaction product solution as water is evaporated from the reaction
product solution under substantially adiabatic conditions by reducing the pressure
to precipitate N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals from the reaction product
solution and produce a primary product slurry comprising precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product crystals and a primary mother liguor;
separating precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product from said primary
mother liauor; and
subiectinq the primary mother liquor to heat-driven evaporative crystallization
to thereby evaporate water from the primary mother liquor, precipitate additional
N-(phosphonomethyl)qlycine product crystals and produce a secondary mother liquor.
43. The process as set forth in claim 42 wherein the evaporation cools the reaction
product solution to a temperature of from about 45° C. to about 80° C.
44. The process as set forth in claim 42 wherein from about 5% to about 30% by
weight of the reaction product solution is evaporated.
45. The process as set forth in claim 42 wherein the process further comprises
purging secondary mother liquor for removal of by-products and impurities from
the process.
46. The process as set forth in claim 45 wherein substantially all the secondary
mother liquor is purged from the process.
47. A process for making an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product, the process comprising:
introducing an aqueous feed stream comprising an N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate into a primary oxidation reactor system comprising one or more oxidation
reaction zones;
oxidizing N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate in the primary oxidation
reactor system to produce a reaction product solution comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product and unreacted N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate;
dividing the reaction product solution into plural fractions comprising a primary
fraction and a secondary oxidation reactor feed fraction;
precipitating N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals from the primary fraction
to produce a primary product slurry comprising precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product crystals and a primary mother liquor;
introducing the secondary oxidation reactor feed fraction into a secondary oxidation
reactor system comprising one or more oxidation reaction zones;
oxidizing N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate in the secondary oxidation
reactor system to produce a secondary oxidation reactor effluent comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product; and
precipitating N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals from the secondary
oxidation reactor effluent to produce a secondary product slurry comprising precipitated
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals and a secondary mother liquor.
48. The process as set forth in claim 47 wherein the primary fraction is cooled
to precipitate N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals from the primary fraction
and water is evaporated from the secondary oxidation reactor effluent to precipitate
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals from the secondary oxidation reactor effluent.
49. The process as set forth in claim 48 wherein the primary fraction is cooled
as water is evaporated from the primary fraction by reducing the pressure.
50. The process as set forth in claim 49 wherein the water is evaporated from
the primary fraction under substantially adiabatic conditions.
51. The process as set forth in claim 47 wherein the primary reactor system comprises
multiple oxidation reaction zones in series.
52. The process as set forth in claim 51 wherein the reaction product solution
is divided after the last oxidation reaction zone in the series.
53. The process as set forth in claim 51 wherein the reaction product solution
is divided before the last oxidation reaction zone in the series and the primary
fraction passes through at least one further oxidation reaction zone in the primary
reactor system before precipitating N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product crystals
from the primary fraction.
54. The process as set forth in claim 47 wherein the primary reactor system comprises
a single oxidation reaction zone.
55. The process as set forth in claim 47 wherein the secondary oxidation reactor
system comprises a stirred tank reactor.
56. The process as set forth in claim 47 wherein the secondary oxidation reactor
system comprises a fixed bed reactor.
57. The process as set forth in claim 56 wherein the fixed bed reactor is operated
with cocurrent gas and liquid flows through the oxidation reaction zone.
58. The process as set forth in claim 56 wherein the fixed bed reactor is operated adiabatically.
59. The process as set forth in claim 47 wherein the secondary oxidation reactor
feed fraction is cooled prior to introduction into the secondary oxidation reactor system.
60. A process for preparing an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product by oxidizing
an N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate, the process comprising:
introducing the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate into a liquid
reaction medium within an oxidation reaction zone, the liquid reaction medium comprising
the N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product and having a particulate heterogeneous catalyst
for the oxidation reaction suspended therein;
introducing an oxidizing agent into the oxidation reaction zone;
continuously oxidizing the N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate in
the liquid reaction medium within the oxidation reaction zone to form the N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product;
continuously withdrawing a reaction mixture effluent from said oxidation reaction
zone, the reaction mixture effluent comprising the N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product;
continuously separating the particulate catalyst from the reaction mixture effluent
to form a catalyst recycle stream comprising the separated catalyst; and
introducing at least a portion of the particulate catalyst contained in the catalyst
recycle stream into said oxidation reaction zone.
61. The process as set forth in claim 60 wherein particulate catalyst contained
in the catalyst recycle stream passes through at least one other oxidation reaction
zone before being introduced into said oxidation reaction zone.
62. The process as set forth in claim 60 wherein particulate catalyst contained
in the catalyst recycle stream is introduced directly into said oxidation reaction zone.
63. The process as set forth in claim 60 wherein the particulate catalyst is
separated from the reaction mixture effluent in a catalyst filter to form the catalyst
recycle stream and a filtrate substantially free of the particulate catalyst and
comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product.
64. The process as set forth in claim 63 wherein the catalyst filter is adapted
for continuous separation of the particulate catalyst from the reaction mixture effluent.
65. A process for the preparation of an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product comprising:
introducing an aqueous feed mixture comprising an N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate into a liquid reaction medium;
catalytically oxidizing N (phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate in said
aqueous liquid reaction medium in the presence of a heterogenous oxidation catalyst
comprising a noble metal on carbon thereby producing a reaction mixture comprising
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product;
cooling a primary crystallization feed mixture comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product produced in said reaction mixture, thereby precipitating N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product and producing a primary mother liquor comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product;
separating precipitated N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product from said primary
mother liquor; and
recycling primary mother liquor and introducing it into said liquid reaction
medium wherein N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate is oxidized to N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product.
66. The process as set forth in claim 65 wherein said reaction mixture is divided
into a primary fraction and a secondary fraction, said primary crystallization
feed mixture comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product obtained in said primary fraction.
67. The process as set forth in claim 66 wherein N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product
is crystallized from a secondary crystallizer feed mixture comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product obtained in said secondary fraction, thereby producing a secondary mother
liquor comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product and by-products of said oxidation reaction.
68. The process as set forth in claim 67 wherein an aqueous secondary reactor
feed mixture, comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product obtained in said secondary
fraction and unreacted N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate contained
therein, is introduced into a secondary oxidation zone wherein unreacted N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate is oxidized to produce a secondary oxidation reaction mixture containing
additional N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product, said secondary crystallizer feed
mixture comprising said secondary oxidation reaction mixture.
69. The process as set forth in claim 68 wherein said secondary oxidation zone
comprises a fixed bed containing a catalyst for the oxidation.
70. The process as set forth in claim 67 wherein crystallization of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product from said primary crystallization feed mixture comprises evaporative cooling
of said primary feed mixture.
71. The process as set forth in claim 70 wherein water constituting between about
5% and about 30% by weight of said primary crystallization feed mixture is removed
in evaporative cooling thereof.
72. The process as set forth in claim 70 wherein said evaporative cooling is
conducted substantially adiabatically.
73. The process as set forth in claim 71 wherein crystallization of said N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product from said secondary crystallization feed mixture comprises heat-driven
evaporative crystallization.
74. The process as set forth in claim 65 wherein N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate is oxidized in said aqueous liquid reaction medium in a primary
oxidation reaction zone, thereby producing a primary oxidation product, the process
further comprising:
dividing said primary oxidation product into a finishing reaction feed mixture
and a primary crystallization fraction, said primary crystallization feed mixture
comprising said primary crystallization fraction;
introducing said finishing reaction feed mixture into a finishing reaction zone; and
catalytically oxidizing residual N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate
contained in said finishing reaction feed mixture to N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine
product to produce a finished reaction mixture.
75. The process as set forth in claim 74 wherein said primary oxidation product
contains between about 0.5% and about 2% by weight unreacted N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid.
76. The process as set forth in claim 75 wherein a secondary crystallizer feed
mixture comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product obtained in said finished
reaction mixture is subjected to heat-driven evaporative crystallization, thereby
precipitating N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product and producing a secondary mother
liquor comprising N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product and by-products of the oxidation
of N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid substrate.
77. The process as set forth in claim 65 wherein N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate is continuously oxidized in the presence of said heterogenous oxidation
catalyst, said heterogenous oxidation catalyst comprising a noble metal on a particulate
carbon support.
78. A process for the preparation of an N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine product comprising:
introducing an aqueous feed mixture comprising an N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic
acid substrate into a catalytic reactor system comprising one or
