# US 8,785,688 B2 · Recovery of acetic acid from wood extracts

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- Number: US 8,785,688 B2
- Document ID: US8785688B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/740,868
- Filed: 2008-10-31
- Published: 2011-10-27
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2007-10-31
- Assignees: University of Maine System Board of Trustees
- Applicants: Adriaan van Heiningen; Herbert Sixta; Byung-Hwan Um; Peter van Walsum
- Inventors: Adriaan van Heiningen; Herbert Sixta; Byung-Hwan Um; Peter van Walsum
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785688B2

## CPC

- C07C 51/48: by liquid-liquid treatment
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

In a process for recovering acetic acid from a wood extract, an aqueous wood extract is provided that contains acetic acid and dissolved hemicellulose containing uronic acid. A water insoluble solvent containing an extractant for the acetic acid is also provided. In a preferred embodiment, the solvent is undecane and the extractant is trioctylphosphine oxide. The wood extract is contacted with the solvent and extractant in order to extract the acetic acid from the wood extract. The acetic acid is then recovered from the solvent and extractant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for recovering acetic acid from a wood extract comprising:
providing an aqueous wood extract containing acetic acid and dissolved hemicellulose containing uronic acid;
providing a water insoluble solvent containing an extractant for the acetic acid;
contacting the wood extract with the solvent and extractant in order to extract the acetic acid from the wood extract; and
recovering the acetic acid from the solvent and extractant.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the extractant for acetic acid comprises a solvent with a high distribution coefficient.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The process of claim 2 wherein the extractant for acetic acid comprises trioctylphosphine oxide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the water insoluble solvent comprises a paraffin hydrocarbon.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4 wherein the water insoluble solvent comprises undecane.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the wood extract further contains organic acid.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The process of claim 6 wherein the wood extract is a product from the treatment of wood chips or lignocellulosic biomass with high temperature steam/water or aqueous solution to release sugars.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the contacting step comprises mixing the solvent and extractant with the wood extract to extract the acetic acid, and then separating the solvent, extractant and acetic acid from the remaining wood extract.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the acetic acid is recovered from the solvent and extractant by distillation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the extractant for acetic acid comprises trioctylphosphine oxide, the water insoluble solvent comprises undecane, and the wood extract is a product from the treatment of wood chips or lignocellulosic biomass with high temperature steam/water or aqueous solution to release sugars.