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US 9,719,037 B2Granted
Methods for production of terephthalic acid from ethylene oxide
AssigneeNovomer, Inc.
InventorSadesh H. Sookraj
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods for the production of terephthalic acid and derivatives thereof using ethylene oxide, carbon monoxide and furan as feedstocks. The process is characterized by high yields and high carbon efficiency. The process can utilize 100% biobased feedstocks (EO via ethanol, CO via biomass gasification, and furan via known processes from cellulosic feedstocks).
Claims11
A process for making a chemical product comprising an aromatic diacid or derivative thereof comprising the steps of:
- a) treating biomass to produce ethanol;
- b) treating biomass to produce carbon monoxide;
- c) converting the ethanol to ethylene oxide;
- d) contacting ethylene oxide with the carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst to form succinic anhydride;
- e) oxidizing the succinic anhydride to provide a compound selected from the group consisting of:
- maleic anhydride, maleic acid, fumaric acid, a mono- or di-ester of fumaric acid, a mono- or di-ester of maleic acid, a mono- or bis-salt of fumaric acid, a mono- or bis-salt of maleic acid, and a mixture of any two or more of these;
- f) contacting the compound of step (e) with furan to provide a compound containing a cyclohexene ring;
- g) dehydrating the compound containing the cyclohexene ring to provide at least one of an aromatic acid anhydride, an aromatic diacid, a mono- or bis-salt of an aromatic diacid;
- and a mono- or bis-ester of an aromatic diacid as the chemical product.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.