Methods for coproduction of terephthalic acid and styrene from ethylene oxide
AssigneeNovomer, Inc.
InventorsSadesh H. Sookraj, Jay J. Farmer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods for the production of terephthalic acid and derivatives thereof using ethylene oxide, carbon monoxide and furan as feedstocks. The process is characterized by high yields and high carbon efficiency. The process can utilize 100% biobased feedstocks (EO via ethanol, CO via biomass gasification, and furan via known processes from cellulosic feedstocks). In one aspect, processes of the invention coproduce biobased terephthalic acid and biobased styrene.
Claims24
A process for production of a chemical product comprising terephthalic acid or tereohthalate by utilizing furan, ethylene oxide, and carbon monoxide as the feedstocks, the process comprising the steps of:
- reacting the ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide to form beta propiolactone;
- and
- deriving the chemical product from the beta propiolactone wherein the chemical product comprises at least one of terephthalic acid, a mono or diester of terephthalic aid, and a mono or bis metal salt of terephthalic acid.
A process for making a chemical product comprising an aromatic acid or derivatives thereof comprising the steps of:
- a) treating biomass to produce ethanol;
- b) treating biomass to produce carbon monoxide;
- c) converting the ethanol to ethylene oxide;
- d) contacting ethylene oxide with the carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst to form beta propiolactone;
- e) decyclizing the beta propiolactone to provide an unsaturated compound selected from the group consisting of:
- acrylic acid;
- and ester of acrylic acid, an acrylate salt;
- and a mixture of two or more of these.
- f) contacting the unsaturated compound produced in step (e) with furan to provide a cyclized compound containing a cyclohexene ring;
- g) dehydrating the cyclized compound of step (f) to provide at least one of benzoic acid, an ester of benzoic acid, and a salt of benzoic acid as the chemical product.
A process for production of a chemical product comprising terephthalic acid or terephthalate by utilizing furan, ethylene oxide, and carbonmonoxide as the feedstocks, the process comprising the steps of:
- reacting the ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide to form beta propiolactone;
- converting the beta propiolactone to an unsaturated compound selected from the group consisting of:
- acrylic acid, an ester of acrylic acid an acrylate salt;
- reacting the unsaturated compound with the furan to provide a seven carbon compound containing a cyclohexene ring;
- dehydrating the seven carbon compound to provide a compound containing a mono-substituted benzene ring;
- and
- disproportionating the compound containing the mono-substituted benzene ring to produce the chemical product wherein the chemical product comprises at least one of terephthalic acid, a mono or diester of terephthalic aid, and a mono or bis metal salt of terephthalic acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.