Device and method of obtaining diols and other chemicals using decarboxylation
AssigneeField Upgrading Limited
InventorsJames Mosby, Sai Bhavaraju, Mukund Karanjikar
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Abstract
A method for converting carboxylic acids (including carboxylic acids derived from biomass) into hydrocarbons. The produced hydrocarbons will generally have at least two oxygen containing substituents (or other substituents). In one example of application, the electrolysis converts alkali salts of carboxylic acids into diols which can then be used as solvents or be dehydrated to produce dienes, which can then be used to produce elastic polymeric materials. This process allows custom synthesis of high value chemicals from renewable feed stocks such as carboxylic acids derived from biomass.
Claims25
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- an anolyte compartment comprising a quantity of anolyte comprising at least one alkali metal salt of a carboxylic acid, the at least one alkali metal salt of a carboxylic acid having at least 3 carbons and a carboxylate group and at least one heteroatom functional group in addition to the carboxylate group;
- an anode in contact with the anolyte;
- a catholyte compartment housing a quantity of catholyte;
- a cathode in contact with the catholyte;
- an alkali ion conducting membrane;
- and
- a voltage source electrically connected to the anode and the cathode, wherein the voltage source decarboxylates the at least one alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid into alkyl radicals that react to form a coupled radical product, wherein the coupled radical product has at least two heteroatom functional groups.
A method for producing a coupled radical product, comprising:
- providing an electrochemical cell comprising an anolyte and a catholyte, the anolyte comprising an alkali metal salt of a carboxylic acid comprising a carboxylate group and at least one heteroatom functional group selected from the group consisting of halide groups, sulfide groups, hydroxyl groups, amine groups, amide groups, and ether groups;
- providing a highly conductive catholyte comprising an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide or an alkali metal alkoxide or a mixture thereof;
- and
- electrochemically decarboxylating the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid into a first radical intermediate that reacts with second radical intermediate, the second radical intermediate being formed by decarboxylation, to form a coupled radical product, wherein the coupled radical product has at least two of the heteroatom functional groups.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.