Integrated process for generating acid anhydrides

A process comprising a wood acetylation process coupled to an acetic anhydride production process, wherein

• the wood acetylation process comprises subjecting wood to acetylation with an acetylation fluid to produce an acetylated wood product and an acetic acid by-product stream comprising at least one terpene, and
• the acetic anhydride production process comprises performing a transanhydridization reaction between acetic acid and a glutaric anhydride to produce an acetic anhydride reaction fluid comprising acetic anhydride and acetic acid,
• wherein the anhydride reaction fluid is used in the wood acetylation process as an acetylation fluid, wherein the transanhydridization reaction excludes the use of perchloric acid.

A process of supplying an acetic acid reactant feed to a transanhydridization reaction unit, comprising

• supplying an acetic acid reactant feed to a transanhydridization reaction unit,
• wherein the acetic acid reactant feed is acetylation fluid that has been directly recovered from a wood acetylation process and which comprises at least one terpene, acetic acid and acetic anhydride, and
• wherein the wood acetylation process comprises reacting acetic anhydride with a feedstock to produce an acetylated wood product and an acetic acid by-product stream comprising at least one terpene, wherein the transanhydridization reaction unit contains a transanhydrization reaction, wherein the transanhydridization reaction excludes the use of perchloric acid.