Processes for producing monoammonium adipate and conversion of monoammonium adipate to adipic acid

A process for obtaining adipic acid (AA) from a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth, comprising:

• (a) providing a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth;
• (b) distilling the broth to form a first overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a first liquid bottoms that comprises MAA, at least some DAA, and at least 20 wt. % water;
• (c) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the first bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the first bottoms, to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the first bottoms to separate into a DAA-containing first liquid portion and a MAA-containing first solid portion that is substantially free of DAA;
• (d) separating the first solid portion from the first liquid portion;
• (e) recovering the first solid portion;
• (f) dissolving the first solid portion in water to produce an aqueous MAA solution;
• (g) distilling the aqueous MAA solution at a temperature and pressure sufficient to form a second overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a second bottoms that comprises a major portion of AA, a minor portion of MAA, and water;
• (h) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the second bottoms to cause the second bottoms to separate into a second liquid portion and a second solid portion that consists essentially of AA and is substantially free of MAA;
• (i) separating the second solid portion from the second liquid portion;
• and
• (j) recovering the second solid portion.

A process for obtaining MAA from an aqueous clarified MAA-containing fermentation broth comprising:

• (a) providing an aqueous clarified MAA-containing fermentation broth;
• (b) optionally adding an additional amount of at least one of MAA, DAA, AA, NH3, and NH4+, to the broth depending on pH of the broth;
• (c) distilling the broth to form an overhead that comprises water and optionally ammonia and a liquid bottoms that comprises MAA, at least some DAA, and at least 20 wt. % water;
• (d) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the bottoms, to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a DAA-containing liquid portion and a MAA-containing solid portion that is substantially free of DAA;
• (e) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion;
• and
• (f) recovering the solid portion.

A process for obtaining AA from a clarified MAA-containing fermentation broth comprising:

• (a) providing a clarified MAA-containing fermentation broth;
• (b) optionally adding an additional amount of at least one of MAA, DAA, AA, NH3, and NH4+, to the broth depending on pH of the broth;
• (c) distilling the broth to form an first overhead that comprises water and, optionally, ammonia and a first liquid bottoms that comprises MAA, at least some DAA, and at least 20 wt. % water;
• (d) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the first bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the first bottoms, to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the first bottoms to separate into a DAA-containing first liquid portion and a MAA-containing first solid portion that is substantially free of DAA;
• (e) separating the first solid portion from the first liquid portion;
• (f) dissolving the first solid portion in water to produce an aqueous MAA solution;
• (g) distilling the aqueous MAA solution at a temperature and pressure sufficient to form a second overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a second bottoms that comprises a major portion of AA, a minor portion of MAA, and water;
• (h) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the second bottoms to cause the second bottoms to separate into a second liquid portion and a second solid portion that consists essentially of AA and is substantially free of MAA;
• (i) separating the second solid portion from the second liquid portion;
• and
• (j) recovering the second solid portion.

A process for obtaining mono-X adipate (MXA) from a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth comprising:

• (a) providing a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth;
• (b) distilling the broth to form an overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that comprises MXA, where X is at least one of NH4+, Na+and K+, at least some di-Y adipate (DYA), where DYA includes DAA and at least one of disodium adipate (DNaA) and dipotassium adipate (DKA), and at least 20 wt. % water;
• (c) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the bottoms, to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a DYA-containing liquid portion and a MXA-containing solid portion that is substantially free of DYA;
• (d) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion;
• and
• (e) recovering the solid portion.

A process for obtaining MXA from a clarified MXA-containing broth, where X is at least one of NR4+, Na+and K+comprising:

• (a) providing a clarified MXA-containing broth;
• (b) optionally adding an additional amount of at least one of AA, NH3, NH4+, Na+, and K+to the broth to maintain the pH of the broth below 6;
• (c) distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and optionally ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes MXA, at least some DYA, where DYA includes at least one of DAA, DNaA and DKA, and at least 20 wt. % water;
• (d) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the bottoms, to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a DYA-containing liquid portion and a MXA-containing solid portion that is substantially free of DYA;
• (e) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion;
• and
• (f) recovering the solid portion.

A process for obtaining magnesium adipate from a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth comprising:

• (a) providing a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth;
• (b) distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes MgA, at least some DAS and MgA and at least 20 wt. % water;
• (c) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the bottoms, to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a DAA and MgA -containing liquid portion and an MgA-containing solid portion that is substantially free of DAA;
• (d) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion;
• and
• (e) recovering the solid portion.

A process for obtaining MgA from a clarified MAA-containing fermentation broth comprising:

• (a) providing a clarified MAA-containing fermentation broth;
• (b) optionally adding an additional amount of at least one of AA, NH3, NH4+and Mg+2 to the broth depending on pH of the broth;
• (c) distilling the broth to form an overhead that comprises water and optionally ammonia and a liquid bottoms that comprises MgA, at least some MAA, and at least 20 wt. % water;
• (d) cooling, evaporating or evaporative cooling the bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the bottoms, to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a MAA-containing liquid portion and a MgA-containing solid portion that is substantially free of MAA;
• (e) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion;
• and
• (f) recovering the solid portion.