# US 9,751,849 B1 · Method of producing a furanone compound

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- Number: US 9,751,849 B1
- Document ID: US9751849B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/370,015
- Filed: 2016-12-06
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-06
- Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
- Applicants: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
- Inventors: Chanbasha Basheer; Ahmed Abdi Hassan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751849B1

## CPC

- C07D 307/60: Two oxygen atoms, e.g. succinic anhydride
- B01J 19/0093: {Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors (laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027)}
- B01J 19/127: {Sunlight; Visible light}
- B01J 2219/00783: Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
- B01J 2219/00826: Quartz
- B01J 2219/00833: Plastic
- B01J 2219/00835: Comprising catalytically active material
- B01J 2219/0086: Dimensions of the flow channels
- B01J 2219/00943: Visible light, e.g. sunlight
- B01J 2219/0877: Liquid
- B01J 2219/0892: involving catalytically active material
- C07D: HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS (macromolecular compounds C08)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS

## Abstract

A method of photooxygenating furfural in a photooxygenating system, whereby a liquid mixture comprising furfural, a photosensitizer, and a reaction solvent is passed through a reaction section of the photooxygenating system, wherein the liquid mixture is exposed to solar radiation, while a portion of the furfural is oxidized in presence of the photosensitizer and a furanone compound is produced. Various embodiments of the photocatalytic water splitting reactor, and the water splitting system are also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing a furanone compound, comprising:
extracting furfural from rice husk;
mixing the furfural, a photosensitizer, and a reaction solvent in a vessel to form a liquid mixture; and
flowing at least a portion of the liquid mixture through a reaction section of a flow reactor, while concurrently exposing the liquid mixture to sunlight to oxidize the furfural to form the furanone compound.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
collecting the liquid mixture in the vessel; and
repeating the flowing and the collecting until the liquid mixture reaches a predetermined furanone concentration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the extracting comprises treating the rice husk with a mineral acid in a microwave.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the extracting comprises hydrolyzing the rice husk with a mineral acid in an autoclave.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the extracting comprises treating the rice husk with a mineral acid in a reflux system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the photosensitizer is an organic dye.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a concentration of the photosensitizer in the liquid mixture is in the range of 4-40 g/l.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid mixture comprises 0.2-2.5 g of the photosensitizer per 1 ml of the furfural.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction solvent is at least one selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, and toluene.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the reaction solvent is methanol.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a concave mirror is located under the reaction section, and wherein the concave mirror has a focal point for focusing sunlight onto the reaction section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction section is exposed to sunlight for 2-12 hours.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction section of the flow reactor has a spiral shape.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
separating the furanone compound from the liquid mixture in a separator to form a furanone compound stream and a recycle stream; and
delivering at least a portion of the recycle stream to the vessel.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
stirring the liquid mixture in the vessel with an agitator.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the liquid mixture in the vessel is maintained at a temperature below 35° C. to prevent acetalization.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an illuminance received by the liquid mixture inside the vessel is less than 0.001 lux.