Process for producing monobranched fatty acids or alkyl esters
AssigneeCroda International PLC
InventorsTanja Van Bergen-Brenkman, Hans Ridderikhoff, Hendrikus Johannes Franciskus Philipse
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Abstract
A process for producing C10-C26 monobranched fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof which includes isomerizing unsaturated C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof in the presence of a catalyst which comprises both a zeolite and a Lewis base. The zeolite can be reused after simple separation from the reaction products without having to regenerate. The process is particularly suitable for producing highly monobranched fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof.
Claims15
A process for producing monobranched fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof which comprises;
- (A) (i) isomerising unsaturated C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof in the presence of a catalyst which comprises both a zeolite and a Lewis base,
- (ii) separating the reaction product of step (i) from the used zeolite,
- (iii) optionally hydrogenating the reaction product of step (ii),
- (iv) obtaining a composition comprising monobranched C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof from the reaction product of step (ii) or (iii), and
- (B) wherein the process steps (A)(i) to (iv) are repeated using zeolite which comprises used zeolite which has been obtained in step (A)(ii).
A composition comprising (i) greater than 70% by weight of monobranched C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof, (ii) less than 7% by weight of polybranched C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof, (iii) greater than 3% by weight of linear C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof, and (iv) less than 5% by weight of lactones, all based on the total weight of the composition.
A process comprising catalysing the isomerisation of unsaturated C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof to produce highly monobranched C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof in the presence of a catalyst which comprises both a zeolite and a Lewis base.
A steady state process for producing C10-C26 monobranched fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof, comprising:
- (i) isomerizing unsaturated C10-C26 fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof in a steady state process in the presence of a catalyst which comprises both a zeolite and a Lewis base;
- (ii) separating the used zeolite from the reaction product of the isomerisation reaction, and
- (iii) reusing the zeolite separated in step (i).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.