Hydrocracking process for liquefaction of lignin
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorsDusan J. Engel, Karl Z. Steigleder
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Abstract
Hydrocracking of lignin in the presence of a supported tungsten-nickel catalyst affords phenolic compounds in higher yield and with greater selectivity then previously obtainable. Mildly acidic supports, such as alumina, alumina-silica, aluminum phosphate, and silica-aluminum phosphate, have been found to be particularly effective. When the hydrocracking is done in the presence of water, a lower aliphatic alcohol, or a Lewis acid such as ferrous chloride, increased yields of both cresols and C.sub.6 -C.sub.8 and C.sub.6 -C.sub.9 phenolics are obtained.
Claims13
A method of hydrocracking lignin to produce monomeric hydroxyaromatic compounds comprising reacting a solution of a non-basic lignin with hydrogen at a pressure from about 500 to about 3500 psig and a temperature from about 300.degree. to 450.degree. C. in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst, said catalyst being a cracking support selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silica-alumina, aluminum phosphate, silica-aluminum phosphate, zirconia, titania, lanthanum phosphate, and combinations thereof, and said support containing from about 2% to about 20% by weight of tungsten as zero-valent or sulfided tungsten and a second component selected from the group consisting of zerovalent nickel, palladium, and cobalt, the weight ratio of tungsten to said second component being from about 1:1 to about 100:1, and collecting the reaction product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.