Method for the production of levulinic acid and its derivatives
First Claim
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1. A method of producing levulinic acid comprising:
- mixing biomass containing cellulose and hemicellulose with an acid to form an aqueous reaction solution which is 5-50% acid by weight while maintaining the temperature of the solution below about 60°
C., thereby at least partially decrystallizing the biomass;
heating said solution to about 80-200°
C. for 1 to 30 hours, thereby hydrolyzing the cellulose and hemicellulose materials to sugars which are reacted following hydrolysis;
separating the reaction products; and
recovering levulinic acid.
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Abstract
A method of producing dehydration products from one more 5-carbon or 6-carbon sugars includes reacting said one or more sugars at 40-240° C. for 1 to 96 hours in the presence of 5-90% sulfuric acid, separating the reaction products, and recovering levulinic acid. The sugars are can be generated from strong acid hydrolysis of biomass, such as rice straw, paper, cotton and other cellulosic materials.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of producing levulinic acid comprising:
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mixing biomass containing cellulose and hemicellulose with an acid to form an aqueous reaction solution which is 5-50% acid by weight while maintaining the temperature of the solution below about 60°
C., thereby at least partially decrystallizing the biomass;heating said solution to about 80-200°
C. for 1 to 30 hours, thereby hydrolyzing the cellulose and hemicellulose materials to sugars which are reacted following hydrolysis;separating the reaction products; and recovering levulinic acid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification