Production of renewable aromatic compounds
AssigneeJnf Biochemicals, LLC
InventorsWendy Thai, David A. Sikkenga, Will Schroeder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a process for producing a variety renewable aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene, xylenes, and cumene, as well as compounds derived from these including, for example, aniline, benzoic acid, cresol, cyclohexane, cyclohexanone, phenol and bisphenol A, toluene di-isocyanate, isophthalic acid, phthalic anhydride, terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalate. The invention also provides for renewable forms of these aromatic compounds.
Claims34
A process for producing a renewable aromatic compound comprising (a) contacting a renewable cyclic monoterpene with a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective for the oxidation of the cyclic monoterpene to renewable ρ-cymene and H2, and (b) contacting the renewable ρ-cymene with benzene and a transalkylation catalyst under conditions effective for the transalkylation of the benzene with the renewable ρ-cymene to produce renewable cumene and renewable toluene.
2-6. (canceled)
The process of claim 195, wherein the cell over expresses at least one gene in the mevalonic acid pathway, non-mevalonic acid pathway, or mevalonic acid and non-mevalonic acid pathways.
(canceled)
The process of claim 195, wherein the cell over expresses a gene encoding HMG-CoA reductase or deoxy-xylulose phosphate synthase.
10-12. (canceled)
The process of claim 195, wherein the monoterpene synthase is a limonene synthase, α-pinene synthase, β-pinene synthase, terpinene synthase, terpinolene synthase or sabinene synthase.
14-16. (canceled)
A process for producing a renewable aromatic compound comprising contacting benzene with cymene and a transalkylation catalyst under conditions effective for the transalkylation of benzene with cymene to produce cumene and toluene, wherein the benzene comprises renewable benzene wherein all the carbons are renewable carbons, and the cymene comprises renewable cymene wherein all the carbons are renewable carbons.
A process for producing a renewable aromatic compound comprising:
- (a) Contacting non-renewable benzene with renewable cymene and a first transalkylation catalyst under conditions effective for the transalkylation of the benzene with the cymene to produce renewable cumene and renewable toluene;
- (b) Isolating at least a portion of the renewable toluene;
- (c) Contacting the renewable toluene with H2 under conditions effective to produce renewable benzene;
- (d) Isolating at least a portion of the renewable benzene;
- and
- (e) Contacting the renewable benzene with renewable cymene and a second transalkylation catalyst under conditions effective for the transalkylation of the renewable benzene with the renewable cymene to produce renewable cumene and renewable toluene.
20-25. (canceled)
27-34. (canceled)
36-38. (canceled)
41-48. (canceled)
50-55. (canceled)
57-64. (canceled)
66-73. (canceled)
-82. (canceled)
85-86. (canceled)
88-194. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.