US 12,129,346 B2 · Fractionation and depolymerisation of lignocellulosic material

Abstract

Biomass is processed in a close to equivolumetric mixture of an alcohol and water at elevated temperature, in the presence of a metal catalyst and hydrogen. During this one-pot fractionation process, the hot liquor disentangles the polymeric biomass and depolymerises lignin and hemicellulose, while the catalyst and reductive environment are essential to accumulate and target stable products at high yield (such as phenolics and polyols, respectively). The process is particularly industrially relevant because its overcomes difficult and complex separation protocols, at place in classic biorefinery technology; the process foresees simple product recuperation in one process step into the three fractions; the solid carbohydrate pulp (mainly cellulose) is retrieved upon filtration, while phase separation of n-butanol and water occurs below 125° C. The three resulting product streams provide a versatile platform for down-stream conversion towards added-value bio-based chemicals.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A process for producing polyols and phenolic compounds, the process comprising:

combining lignocellulose, a lignocellulosic material, or a feedstock comprising lignocellulose, with (a) a liquid medium comprising water and an alcohol not fully miscible with water below 100° C., (b) an active catalyst consisting of ruthenium on carbon, and (c) hydrogen gas at a partial pressure of 10 bar or higher at room temperature to form a reaction mixture;
and
subjecting the reaction mixture to a temperature of at least 150° C. to form a product, wherein the product comprises:
a mixture of sugar-derived polyols and oligosaccharides;
and
a mixture of phenolic compounds selected from monophenolic compounds, diphenolic compounds, and polyphenolic compounds, wherein the mixture of phenolic compounds comprises monophenolic compounds and at least 60% by mass of the monophenolic compounds have the general formula
where R1 is —H, —OH, or —OCH3.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fractionation and depolymerisation of lignocellulosic material

Life of this patent

Fractionation and depolymerisation of lignocellulosic material

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13