Process for the production of xylitol
AssigneeCerestar Holding B.V.
InventorsMYRIAM ELSEVIERS, HARALD W. W. ROPER
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for the production of xylitol. Specifically the process comprises two reaction steps. The first step is the fermentative conversion of a hexose to a pentitol. The second step is the catalytic chemical isomerisation of the pentitol to xylitol. Optionally, the xylitol is separated from the other pentitols.
Claims10
A method for producing a pentitol from a hexose characterized in that the method comprises the following steps,
- a) fermentation of a hexose to yield a C5- intermediate consisting mainly of a pentitol,
- b) isomerisation of the pentitol of step a) in the presence of a chemical catalyst to yield a corresponding pentitol mixture,
- c) optionally separation of the desired pentitol from the product of step b).
A method according to anyone of the previous claims characterized in that the isomerisation is conducted at a hydrogen pressure between 0.1 and 10 MPa and a temperature between 70 and 250° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.