Process for producing adipic acid from biomass
AssigneeHydrocarbon Research, Inc.
InventorMarcel Faber
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process is provided for producing adipic acid from a renewable resource, i.e., biomass. The process comprises: hydrolyzing the renewable resource to provide 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, hydrogenating the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in the presence of a catalyst to provide 2, 5-tetrahydrofurandiomethanol, treating the 2, 5-tetrahydrofurandiomethanol with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to provide 1, 6 hexanediol, and oxidizing the 1, 6 hexanediol in the presence of a microorganism to provide adipic acid. The formation of the adipic acid is provided with the microorganism of Gluconobacter oxydans subsp. oxydans. The renewable resources are wastes selected from the group consisting of paper, wood, corn stalks, and logging residues.
Claims12
A process for producing adipic acid from biomass, a renewable resource, said process comprising:
- (a) hydrolyzing biomass with sufficient steam and dilute acid to provide 5-hydroxymethylfurfural;
- (b) hydrogenating said 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in the presence of a catalyst to provide 2,5-tetrahydrofurandiomethanol;
- (c) treating said 2,5-tetrahydrofurandiomethanol with hydrogen under pressure of at least about 1,000 psi and in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of from about 200.degree. to about 350.degree. C. to provide 1, 6 hexanediol;
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- (d) oxydizing said 1, 6 hexanediol in the presence of a microorganism to provide adipic acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.