Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

J Scott Buchanan

Michael P Lanci

Nathaniel M Eagan

Paolo Andres Cuello Penaloza

George W Huber

Peter Galebach

Ashley M Wittrig

Wenzhao Wu

Provided are two-stage processes by which primary alcohols such as ethanol or 1-butanol are converted into distillate-range ethers and olefins utilizing Guerbet coupling followed by intermolecular dehydration. The ethers can be used, for example, as cetane-improvers in diesel fuel, while the olefins can be hydrogenated to afford paraffins.

Processes for producing ethers and olefins from primary alcohols

Processes for producing alcohols from biomass are provided. The processes utilize supercritical methanol to depolymerize biomass with subsequent conversion to a mixture of alcohols. In particular the disclosure relates to continuous processes which produce high yields of alcohols through recycling gases and further employ dual reactor configurations which improve overall alcohol yields. Processes for producing higher ethers and olefins from the so-formed alcohols, through alcohol coupling and subsequent dehydration are also provided. The resulting distillate range ethers and olefins are useful as components in liquid fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel.

Processes for producing alcohols from biomass and further products derived therefrom

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Flemington, NJ, United States of America

J Scott Buchanan