Purification process for arylcarboxylic acids

The application relates to a process which comprises: A) forming a reaction product composition comprising arylcarboxylic acid or substituted arylcarboxylic acid in a polar organic solvent medium by palladium-catalyzed hydrocarboxylation of an arylolefin or substituted arylolefin in a liquid medium comprising polar organic solvent, water, HCl, and at least one ether; B) mixing with said reaction product composition an aqueous solution of inorganic base to form a mixture comprising an aqueous phase containing dissolved inorganic salt of said arylcarboxylic acid or substituted arylcarboxylic, and before and/or during and/or after such mixing, distilling a substantial portion of the ether from the reaction mixture, such that a mixture of residual organic phase and such aqueous phase remain as a distillation residue; C) separating the phases from each other; D) distilling residual organic impurities from the aqueous phase and providing an aqueous solution having a concentration in the range of 10 and 35 wt%, by, if necessary, adjusting the concentration of such aqueous solution by removal therefrom or addition thereto of water; E) washing the aqueous solution with non-polar organic solvent at least twice; F) mixing non-oxidizing mineral acid with the aqueous phase in the presence of non-polar liquid solvent to form (i) an organic phase composed of a solution of arylcarboxylic acid or substituted arylcarboxylic acid in non-polar liquid organic solvent and (ii) an aqueous phase; G) separating the phases from each other; and H) crystallizing arylcarboxylic acid or substituted arylcarboxylic acid from organic solvent.