Acetic acid

Acetic acid is produced from methanol and carbon monoxide in the Cativa process which relies upon an iridium-ruthenium catalyst to activate methanol carbonylation. There is a huge demand for acetic acid which has a very wide range of applications including cleaning, photography, fumigation, packaging, paints, adhesives and artificial fibres.

Rhodium catalysts can be used both for the production of acetic acid and oxo alcohols.