Methods for the production of calcium, magnesium, and zinc salts of sugar acids
AssigneeDfi USA, LLC
InventorsJonathan Stapley, David Genders
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method has now been found for the preparation of calcium, magnesium, and zinc salts of sugar acids, this being the object of the present invention, which is characterized in that the method may include providing a sugar and oxidizing the sugar to a sugar acid in the presence of a noble metal catalyst, oxygen, and a heterogeneous hydroxide source. Preferably the oxidation is carried out with a gold catalyst, and a heterogeneous source of magnesium, calcium, or zinc hydroxide. The oxidation can be performed in a batch or continuous manner.
Claims20
A method of producing a salt of a sugar acid, comprising:
- oxidizing a sugar to produce a sugar acid in the presence of a noble metal catalyst, oxygen, and a heterogeneous hydroxide source in a reaction vessel,
- wherein the heterogeneous hydroxide source is magnesium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, zinc hydroxide, zinc oxide, or zinc carbonate.
A method of producing a salt of a sugar acid, comprising:
- oxidizing a sugar to produce a sugar acid in the presence of a noble metal catalyst, oxygen, and a heterogeneous hydroxide source in a reaction vessel,
- wherein the heterogeneous hydroxide source is magnesium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, zinc hydroxide, zinc oxide, or zinc carbonate;
- wherein the oxidation is carried out as a continuous reaction, and in which the heterogeneous hydroxide source is added during the continuous reaction;
- and
- wherein the heterogeneous hydroxide source is present in a molar ratio greater than 1:2 with the sugar;
- and
- wherein the reaction vessel may be pressurized with oxygen to a pressure of about 60 psi to about 200 psi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.