Dsm IP Assets B.v.

Georgia-Pacific Corporation

Arie De Rijke

Rudy Francois Maria Jozef Parton

Johannes Gerardus De Vries

Pierre Louis Woestenborghs

Johannes Augustinus Kroon

Gerardus Wilhelmus Adrianus Hangx

Gerardus Johannes Paulus Krooshof

The invention relates to a process to separate formic acid from methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) said process comprising subjecting a composition comprising formic acid and MTHF to distillation, characterized in that the process comprises adding water to said distillation. This allows for cost-efficient recovery and recycling of MTHF, for example in process to produce and recover formic acid from a biomass hydrolysate.

Process for the separation of formic acid from methyltetrahydrofuran

A process for producing furfural and levulinic acid from lignocellulose-comprising biomass is disclosed. The biomass is slurried using water and optionally an acid, subjected to hydrolysis, and then subjected to a solid/liquid separation to yield at least an aqueous fraction comprising C5 and C6 sugars and a solid fraction comprising cellulose and lignin. Furfural is obtained by adding an organic solvent to the aqueous fraction, heating at 120-220&#xb0; C. for a sufficient time to form furfural, cooling, and separating an organic phase comprising at least part of the furfural from an aqueous phase. Levulinic acid is obtained by suspending the solid fraction in water and optionally an acid, heating the suspension to 140-220&#xb0; C., and separating an aqueous fraction comprising the levulinic acid from a solid fraction.

Process for the production of furfural and levulinic acid from lignocellulosic biomass

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Echt, Netherlands

Arie De Rijke