Methods for production of terephthalic acid from ethylene oxide
AssigneeNovomer, Inc.
InventorSadesh H. Sookraj
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).
Claims23
A process for the production of terephthalic acid or terephthalate 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 a four carbon compound;
- deriving a chemical product from the four carbon compound 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;
- and
- recovering the chemical product.
A process for making a chemical product comprising an aromatic diacid or derivative 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 succinic anhydride;
- e) oxidizing the succinic anhydride to provide a compound selected from the group consisting of:
- maleic anhydride, maleic acid, fumaric acid, a mono- or di-ester of fumaric acid, a mono- or di-ester of maleic acid, a mono- or bis-salt of fumaric acid, a mono- or bis-salt of maleic acid, and a mixture of any two or more of these;
- f) contacting the compound of step (e) with furan to provide a compound containing a cyclohexene ring;
- g) dehydrating the compound containing the cyclohexene ring to provide at least one of an aromatic acid anhydride, an aromatic diacid, a mono- or bis-salt of an aromatic diacid;
- and a mono- or bis-ester of an aromatic diacid as the chemical product.
A process for production of terephthalic acid or terephthalate utilizing furan, ethylene oxide, and carbon monoxide comprising:
- reacting the ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide to form a four carbon compound;
- converting the four carbon compound to one or more intermediate compounds comprising at least one of maleic anhydride, maleic acid, fumaric acid, a mono- or di-ester of fumaric acid, a mono- or di-ester of maleic acid, a mono- or bis salt of maleic acid, a mono-or bis salt of fumaric acid;
- converting at least a portion of the intermediate product to an eight carbon compound containing cyclohexene ring;
- dehydrating the eight carbon compound to provide a product precursor containing a disubstituted benzene ring;
- and
- rearranging the product precursor to produce a chemical product comprising at least one of terephthalic acid, a mono or diester of terephthalic aid, a mono or bis metal salt of terephthaqlic acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.