Processes for producing
terephthalic acid are disclosed, the processes comprising combining in a reaction medium p-
xylene, a
solvent comprising water and one or more saturated organic acids having from 2-4 carbon atoms, and an
oxygen-containing gas, at a temperature from about 135° C. to about 165° C., in the presence of a catalyst composition comprising
cobalt atoms and
manganese atoms, with
bromine atoms provided as a
promoter. The amount of
cobalt used may be from about 1,800 ppm to about 6,000 ppm, with respect to the total weight of the liquid in the reaction medium, and the weight ratio of
cobalt to
manganese may be from about 40 to about 400. The processes according to the invention produce
terephthalic acid as a precipitated
reaction product, with typically no more than about 10 ppm 2,6-dicarboxyfluorenone produced, with respect to the weight of the
terephthalic acid produced, or no more than about 20 ppm 2,6-dicarboxyfluorenone, with respect to the total weight of the reaction medium, per batch or upon
one pass through a reactor. The terephthalic acid so produced may be further purified by one or more additional oxidation reactions, without the need for expensive hydrogenation purification processes.