Adipic acid is an organic compound that has the chemical formula C6H10O4. It is a white, crystalline, water-soluble solid that is widely produced industrially. Adipic acid consists of a six-carbon atom backbone with carboxylic acid groups on both ends. Its IUPAC name is hexanedioic acid.

 Most industrial Adipic Acid is produced via a two-step process from cyclohexane or cyclohexene. In the first step, cyclohexane or cyclohexene is oxidized to a mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol using oxides of nitrogen. This cyclohexanol–cyclohexanone mixture is then oxidized at high temperature and pressure with air or oxygen to produce adipic acid. Trace impurities like glutaric acid, succinic acid, and phenols are also usually produced in this oxidation reaction. These impurities require purification steps to remove them before the final adipic acid product meets required purity specifications.

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