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US 6,444,450 B1Granted
Large-scale production of polyphenols or polyaromatic amines using enzyme-mediated reactions
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsJoseph A. Akkara, Madhu S. R. Ayyagari, David L. Kaplan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for large-scale, low cost, batch or continuous production of polyphenols using enzyme-mediated reactions and methods for recycling non-consumed reactants.
Claims19
A low cost method for producing polyphenols or polyaromatic amines in large scale comprising the steps of
- polymerizing a monomer or a mixture of monomers in pre-reaction components in a reactor, wherein polymerization is catalyzed by an oxidizing enzyme, yielding phenolic or aromatic amine polymers, non-consumed reactants, and non-consumed reaction medium, wherein said polymerization is of monomer or mixture of monomers and their products with functional group ‘Y’ attached to an aromatic ring with a hydroxyl group (—OH) for aromatic phenols or with an amine group (—NH2) for aromatic amines;
- and wherein the non-consumed reactants and non-consumed reaction medium together comprise post-reaction components;
- dehydrating the reaction medium;
- isolating the polymers from the post-reaction components;
- and
- recycling at least a portion of the post-reaction components;
- wherein rates of reaction are controlled for tailoring molecular weight and dispersity of the polymer by use of sampling ports for monitoring and adjusting reaction conditions, said conditions including temperature, residence time, enzyme activity, water content, and concentrations of consumable and non-consumable reactants;
- said polymer molecular weight being in the range of 700 to 22,000;
- and said polymer dispersity being close to 1.0.
6 more elements
A low cost method for producing polyphenols or polyaromatic amines in large scale comprising the steps of
- mixing pre-reaction components comprising reversed micelles;
- an oxidizing enzyme;
- and hydrogen peroxide in a mixing port;
- introducing said pre-reaction components and a monomer or mixture of monomers into a reactor, said monomer selected from the group consisting of
- 2,6-Dihydroxy-naphthalene
- p-Ethylphenol
- p-Naphthol
- p-butylphenol
- 1-Pyrenol
- Aniline
- Benzidine
- p-Hydroxythiophenol;
- polymerizing said monomer or mixture of monomers in said pre-reaction components in said reactor yielding a phenolic or aromatic amine polymer, non- consumed reactants, and non-consumed reaction medium, wherein said polymerization is of monomer or mixture of monomers and their products with functional group ‘Y’ attached to an aromatic ring with a hydroxyl group (—OH) for aromatic phenols or with an amine group (—NH2) for aromatic amines;
- and wherein saiid non-consumed reactants and said non-consumed reaction medium comprise post-reaction components;
- wherein rates of reaction are controlled for tailoring molecular weight and dispersity of the polymer by use of sampling ports for monitoring and adjusting reaction conditions, said conditions including temperature, residence time, enzyme activity, water content, and concentrations of consumable and non-consumable reactants;
- wherein said polymer molecular weight being in the range of 700 to 22,000;
- and said polymer dispersity being close to 1.0.
- isolating said polymer from said post-reaction components by an isolating means;
- dehumidifying said post-reaction components by means of molecular sieves;
- isolating a smaple of said post-reaction components by means of a sampling port;
- analyzing said sample by an analyzing means to determine concentration and volume levels of the post-reaction components;
- recycling said post-reaction components into a mixing unit;
- communicating said concentration and said volume levels for said sample by a first communication means from said analyzing means to a feed back controller which determines calculated amounts of monomer or mixture of monomers and reaction components, said amounts of monomer or mixture of monomers and reaction components based on predetermined optimal ratios, to be added to said post-reaction components in said mixing unit, wherein said monomer or mixture of monomers, pre-reaction components and post-reaction components comprise a reaction solution;
- and introducing said reaction solution into said reactor.
21 more elements
A low cost method for producing polyphenols or polyaromatic amines comprising the steps of
- mixing pre-reaction components:
- said pre-reaction components comprising a bulk organic solvent mixture;
- an oxidizing enzyme;
- water;
- a surfactant;
- and hydrogen peroxide in a mixing port;
- introducing said reaction components and a monomer or a mixture of monomers into a reactor, said monomer selected from the group consisting of
- Anisole
- Aniline
- p-Amino m-cresol
- 1,2-Benzenediol
- Benzidine
- p-n-Butylphenol
- p-n-Butylaniline
- 8-Hydroxyquinoline
- Cresols (p, m, & p)
- p-sec-Butylaniline
- p-Hydroxythiophenol
- 1,3-Dihydroxynaphthalene
- 2,6-Diethylaniline
- Isoquinoline
- 1,5-Dihydroxynaphthalene
- 3,5-Diethylaniline
- 2-Methyl 8-quinolinol
- 3,4-Dimethylphenol
- 2,6-Dimethylaniline
- p-Phenylazophenol
- p-Ethylphenol
- 3,5-Dimethylaniline
- Tyrosine
- Methoxyphenol (p & m)
- p-Ethylaniline
- Naphthol (α & β)
- 3-Phenylenediamine
- p-n-Octylphenol
- p-n-Propylaniline
- Phenol
- p-Phenoxyphenol
- Phenylphenol (m & p)
- 3-(3-Phenoxyphenoxy)phenol;
- polymerizing said monomer or mixture of monomers in said pre-reaction components in said reactor yielding a phenolic or aromatic amine polymer, non- consumed reactants, and non-consumed reaction medium, wherein said polymerization is of monomer or mixture of monomers and their products with functional group ‘Y’ attached to an aromatic ring with a hydroxyl group (—OH) for aromatic phenols or with an amine group (—NH2) for aromatic amines;
- and wherein said non-consumed reactants and said non-consumed reaction medium together are post-reaction components;
- wherein rates of reaction are controlled for tailoring molecular weight and dispersity of the polymer by use of sampling ports for monitoring and adjusting reaction conditions, said conditions including temperature, residence time, enzyme activity, water content, and concentrations of consumable and non-consumable reactants;
- wherein said polymer molecular weight being in the range of 700 to 22,000;
- and said polymer dispersity being close to 1.0.
- introducing said polymer and said post-reaction components into a filtration unit;
- isolating said polymer from said post-reaction components by an isolating means;
- isolating a sample of said post-reaction components by means of a sampling port;
- analyzing said sample by an analyzing means to determine concentration and volume levels of said post-reaction components;
- recycling at least a portion of said post-reaction components;
- communicating said concentration and said volume levels for said sample by a first communication means from said analyzing means to a feed back controller which determines calculated amounts of monomer or mixture of monomers and reaction components, said amounts of monomer or mixture of monomers and reaction components based on predetermined optimal ratios, to be added to said post-reaction components in said mixing unit, wherein said monomer or mixture of monomers, pre-reaction components and post-reaction components comprise a reaction solution;
- and
- introducing said reaction solution into said reactor.
50 more elements
A low cost method for producing polyphenols and polyaromatic amines in large scale comprising the steps of
- mixing a monomer or mixture of monomers and pre-reaction components in a reactor;
- wherein said pre-reaction components comprising water, an oxidizing enzyme, hydrogen peroxide, and a water-immiscible organic solvent;
- stirring the monomer or mixture of monomers and pre-reaction components in the reactor with a stirring means to create a dynamic macroemulsion;
- polymerizing said monomer or mixture of monomers in said pre-reaction components in said reactor yielding a phenolic or aromatic amine polymer, non- consumed reactants, and non-consumed reaction medium, wherein said polymerization is of monomer or mixture of monomers and their products with fuctional group ‘Y’ attached to an aromatic ring with a hydroxyl group (—OH) for aromatic phenols or with an amine group (—NH2) for aromatic amines;
- and wherein said non-consumed reactants and said non-consumed reaction medium together are post-reaction components;
- wherein rates of reaction are controlled for tailoring molecular weight and dispersity of the polymer by use of sampling ports for monitoring and adjusting reaction conditions, said conditions including temperature, residence time, enzyme activity, water content, and concentrations of consumable and non-consumable reactants;
- wherein said polymer molecular weight being in the range of 700 to 22,000;
- and said polymer dispersity being close to 1.0.
- introducing said polymer and said post-reaction components into a filtration unit;
- isolating said polymer from said post-reaction components by an isolating means provided in said filtration unit;
- isolating a sample of said post-reaction components by a means of a sampling port;
- analyzing each said sample by an analyzing means to determine concentration and volume levels for said post-reaction components;
- recycling at least a portion of said post-reaction components into a mixing unit;
- communicating said concentration and said volume levels for said sample by a first communication means from said analyzing means to a feed back controller which determines calculated amounts of monomer or mixture of monomers and reaction components, said amounts of monomer or mixture of monomers and reaction components based on predetermined optimal ratios, to be added to said post-reaction components in said mixing unit, wherein said monomer or mixture of monomers, pre-reaction components and post-reaction components comprise a reaction solution;
- and
- introducing said reaction solution back into the reactor.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.