Propionic acid is the fourth largest industrially produced carboxylic acid. In the last decades the technology to produce it has evolved and more efficient, i. e. more sustainable processes, based on the hydroformylation of ethylene to propionaldehyde and subsequent oxidation with O₂ to propionic acid are capturing the growing capacity for this product. For this reason, a perspective is given on developments in sustainable production of propionic acid and derivatives on industrial scale, which is based on a recently published chapter on the same topic in the Ullmann′ Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry.

Abstract

Propionic acid is, after acetic, formic and 2-ethylhexanoic acids, the fourth largest industrially produced carboxylic acid in terms of capacity. In the last decades the technology to produce propionic acid has evolved and more efficient, i. e. more sustainable processes, based on the hydroformylation of ethylene to propionaldehyde and subsequent oxidation with O₂ to propionic acid are capturing the growing capacity for this product. For this reason, a perspective is given on developments in sustainable production of propionic acid and derivatives on industrial scale, which is based on a recently published chapter on the same topic in the Ullmann′ Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry.